Shloka 23

Matsya Purana — Inquiry into Taraka’s Slaying and the Prelude to Guha

Devanagari script

त्रैलोक्यनाथं शक्रं तु सर्वामरगणप्रभुम् हिरण्यकशिपुश्चक्रे जित्वा राज्यं महाबलः //

Transliteration

trailokyanāthaṃ śakraṃ tu sarvāmaragaṇaprabhum hiraṇyakaśipuścakre jitvā rājyaṃ mahābalaḥ //

Translation

Having conquered Śakra (Indra)—the lord of the three worlds and the chief of all the hosts of gods—the mighty Hiraṇyakaśipu seized his kingdom.

Word by Word

• त्रैलोक्यनाथम्: lord of the three worlds

• शक्रम्: Śakra/Indra

• तु: indeed

• सर्वामरगणप्रभुम्: chief/lord of all the companies of immortals (gods)

• हिरण्यकशिपुः: Hiraṇyakaśipu

• चक्रे: made/caused/appropriated

• जित्वा: having conquered

• राज्यम्: kingdom/sovereignty

• महाबलः: of great strength, mighty

Speaker

• Suta/Narrator (Puranic narration within the Matsya Purana’s dialogue framework)

Entities Mentioned

• Śakra (Indra)
• Hiraṇyakaśipu
• Amaragaṇa (hosts of Devas)
• Trailokya (three worlds)

Tags

• Deva-Asura War
• Indra
• Daitya Ascendancy
• Kingship
• Puranic History

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it highlights a temporary cosmic-political upheaval where a Daitya (Hiraṇyakaśipu) overthrows Indra, showing how adharma can disrupt heavenly order before restoration.

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

By portraying the seizure of sovereignty through conquest, it implicitly contrasts brute power with dharmic kingship: legitimate rule in Purāṇic ethics is sustained by righteousness, not merely by strength or victory.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; it is primarily a mythic-historical note about Indra’s loss of dominion to Hiraṇyakaśipu.