Shloka 14

Matsya Purana — Indra Sends Soma to Battle: Frost-Weapon

Devanagari script

तेषां हिमकरोत्सृष्टाः सपाशा हिमवृष्टयः वेष्टयन्ति स्म तान्घोरान् दैत्यान्मेघगणा इव //

Transliteration

teṣāṃ himakarotsṛṣṭāḥ sapāśā himavṛṣṭayaḥ veṣṭayanti sma tānghorān daityānmeghagaṇā iva //

Translation

Against them, the snow-showers released by the Moon—like nooses—wrapped around those dreadful Daityas, just as masses of clouds envelop (all they cover).

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them/against them

• himakara-utsṛṣṭāḥ: released/emitted by the Moon (the ‘maker of snow/coolness’)

• sa-pāśāḥ: together with nooses, like nooses

• hima-vṛṣṭayaḥ: showers of snow/ice

• veṣṭayanti sma: indeed enveloped/encircled

• tān: those

• ghorān: terrible/fierce

• daityān: Daityas (demons, sons of Diti)

• megha-gaṇāḥ: hosts/masses of clouds

• iva: like/as.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the battle episode

Entities Mentioned

• Candra (Moon)
• Daityas
• Meghagaṇa (cloud-hosts)

Tags

• Daitya
• Divine warfare
• Celestial weapons
• Mythic meteorology
• Purāṇic battle

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it uses cosmic nature-forces (Moon, snow, clouds) as divine instruments of restraint, reflecting how the Purāṇas portray the cosmos as responsive to dharmic order.

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

By analogy, it supports the dharmic ideal of niyama (restraint): just as hostile forces are ‘bound’ and contained, a king is expected to restrain violence and disorder through disciplined, proportionate measures.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual rule is stated; however, the imagery of ‘binding with pāśa’ and ‘enveloping’ can be read as a general Purāṇic motif of protective containment, often echoed in ritual protection (rakṣā) concepts.