Shloka 81

Matsya Purana — Hiranyakashipu’s Boons

Devanagari script

दशग्रीवश्च वाली च मेघवासा महासुरः घटास्यो ऽकम्पनश्चैव प्रजनश्चेन्द्रतापनः //

Transliteration

daśagrīvaśca vālī ca meghavāsā mahāsuraḥ ghaṭāsyo 'kampanaścaiva prajanaścendratāpanaḥ //

Translation

Daśagrīva (the Ten-necked one), Vālī, Meghavāsā the great Asura, and also Ghaṭāsya, Akampana, and Prajana—these too were fierce tormentors of Indra.

Word by Word

• दशग्रीवः (daśagrīvaḥ): Daśagrīva/Rāvaṇa, the ten-necked one

• च (ca): and

• वाली (vālī): Vālī (the mighty one named Vāli)

• च (ca): and

• मेघवासा (meghavāsā): Meghavāsā (lit. cloud-dweller

• महासुरः (mahāsuraḥ): great Asura/demon-lord

• घटास्यः (ghaṭāsyaḥ): Ghaṭāsya (lit. pot-faced

• अकम्पनः (akampanaḥ): Akampana (lit. unshaking

• च एव (ca eva): and indeed/also

• प्रजनः (prajanaḥ): Prajana (proper name

• च (ca): and

• इन्द्रतापनः (indratāpanaḥ): Indra-tāpana, ‘scorcher/tormentor of Indra’ (epithet for a fierce enemy of the gods).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting the Matsya Purana’s catalogue of formidable beings (as transmitted in the Purāṇic dialogue tradition)

Entities Mentioned

• Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa)
• Vālī
• Meghavāsā
• Ghaṭāsya
• Akampana
• Prajana
• Indra

Tags

• Ancient Indian genealogy
• Asura-Rakshasa lists
• Puranic catalogues
• Indra conflicts
• Matsya Purana lineages

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya or cosmogony; it functions as a catalogue of powerful hostile figures (asuras/rākṣasas) known as adversaries of Indra.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic ethical theme that rulers must restrain disruptive, violent forces that threaten social and cosmic order—symbolized here by ‘tormentors of Indra’ (enemies of dharma and governance).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No vastu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; it is primarily a name-list used for lineage memory, narrative indexing, and identification of mythic antagonists.