Shloka 4

Matsya Purana — Description of the Daitya–Dānava War Preparations and Maya’s Divine Chariots

Devanagari script

ईहामृगगणाकीर्णं पक्षिपङ्क्तिविराजितम् दिव्यास्त्रतूणीरधरं पयोधरविनादितम् //

Transliteration

īhāmṛgagaṇākīrṇaṃ pakṣipaṅktivirājitam divyāstratūṇīradharaṃ payodharavināditam //

Translation

It was thronged with herds of īhā‑deer, adorned by rows of birds, furnished with quivers bearing divine missiles, and resonant with the rumbling of rain-bearing clouds.

Word by Word

īhā-mṛga-gaṇa-ākīrṇamfilled with groups of īhā-deer (a class of deer/antelope)

pakṣi-paṅkti-virājitamshining/beautified by lines (flocks) of birds

divya-astra-tūṇīra-dharamhaving/possessing quivers (tūṇīra) of divine weapons/missiles

payodhara-vināditamresounding/echoing with clouds (payodhara, ‘rain-bearers’)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) or the primary narrator describing the landscape within the Matsya Purāṇa’s discourse (contextual descriptive passage).

Entities Mentioned

īhā-mṛga (deer/antelope class)pakṣi (birds)divyāstra (divine weapons)payodhara (rain-clouds)

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

Indirectly, it highlights the cosmic order expressed through nature—clouds, animals, and sound—rather than describing Pralaya itself; the emphasis is on a thriving, auspicious environment.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It reflects the ideal of maintaining and honoring prosperous, well-ordered landscapes—important for a king’s protection of forests and sacred regions, and for householders choosing auspicious places aligned with dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The verse supplies classic auspicious-site markers (abundant wildlife, pleasing bird-flocks, cloud-sounds), which can be read alongside Matsya Purāṇa’s Vāstu sensibility: a living, resonant, well-watered environment is favorable for sacred activity and establishment.