Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — Dhruva as Cosmic Pivot: Motions of Sun–Moon–Planets

Devanagari script

शक्रेण पक्षाश्छिन्ना वै पर्वतानां महौजसा कामगानां समृद्धानां भूतानां नाशमिच्छताम् //

Transliteration

śakreṇa pakṣāśchinnā vai parvatānāṃ mahaujasā kāmagānāṃ samṛddhānāṃ bhūtānāṃ nāśamicchatām //

Translation

Indeed, mighty Śakra (Indra) cut off the wings of the mountains—those powerful, prosperous beings that moved at will—because they sought the destruction of living creatures.

Word by Word

• शक्रेण (śakreṇa): by Śakra/Indra

• पक्षाः (pakṣāḥ): wings

• छिन्नाः (chinnāḥ): cut off

• वै (vai): indeed

• पर्वतानाम् (parvatānām): of the mountains

• महौजसा (mahaujasā): by the greatly powerful (one)

• कामगानाम् (kāmagānām): of those moving as they please/at will

• समृद्धानाम् (samṛddhānām): of the prosperous/abundantly endowed

• भूतानाम् (bhūtānām): of beings/creatures

• नाशम् (nāśam): destruction

• इच्छताम् (icchatām): desiring/seeking.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrative voice) recounting the episode within Matsya Purana’s mythic history

Entities Mentioned

• Śakra (Indra)
• Parvatas (Mountains)
• Bhūtas (living beings/creatures)

Tags

• Indra
• Mountains
• Cosmology
• Protection
• Mythic History

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it explains a stabilizing cosmic act—Indra restrains the roaming, destructive mountains—supporting order in the world rather than dissolution.

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

The verse models the dharmic duty of governance: powerful forces that endanger beings must be restrained for loka-saṅgraha (public safety and social order), a principle applicable to righteous kingship and household responsibility.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual rule is stated, but the underlying idea is spatial stability: mountains becoming fixed supports the notion of a settled, orderly landscape—an implied prerequisite for towns, temples, and sacred sites to be established.