Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

स जातमात्र एवाभूत् सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रपारगः उवाच मातरं भक्त्या मातः किं करवाण्यहम् //

Transliteration

sa jātamātra evābhūt sarvaśastrāstrapāragaḥ uvāca mātaraṃ bhaktyā mātaḥ kiṃ karavāṇyaham //

Translation

As soon as he was born, he became fully proficient in all weapons and missiles. With devotion he said to his mother, “Mother, what shall I do?”

Word by Word

• स (sa): he

• जातमात्र (jātamātra): newly born, just born

• एव (eva): indeed, at once

• अभूत् (abhūt): became

• सर्व (sarva): all

• शस्त्र (śastra): hand-held weapons

• अस्त्र (astra): missile-weapons / weapons discharged by mantra or device

• पारगः (pāragaḥ): one who has mastered, one who has gone to the far shore (expert)

• उवाच (uvāca): said

• मातरम् (mātaram): to (his) mother

• भक्त्या (bhaktyā): with devotion, reverence

• मातः (mātaḥ): O mother

• किम् (kim): what?

• करवाणि (karavāṇi): shall I do? / may I do

• अहम् (aham): I

Speaker

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the child/prince); direct speech is by the newly born prodigious son addressing his mother

Entities Mentioned

• Mother (mātā)
• The prodigious child/prince (unnamed in this single verse)

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Lineage-episode
• Prodigy
• Bhakti
• Weapons-training

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya; it highlights a miraculous birth and immediate mastery of śastra–astra, focusing on human excellence rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

It frames ideal kingship as disciplined capability joined with humility: despite innate power, the prince asks his mother for guidance, implying that authority should be directed by dharma and counsel.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-ritual detail appears here; the key takeaway is devotional conduct (bhaktyā) and readiness for prescribed duty, not architectural procedure.