Shloka 13

Matsya Purana — Narasimha’s Victory over Hiraṇyakaśipu and the Catalogue of Apocalyptic Omens

Devanagari script

तामापतन्तीं सम्प्रेक्ष्य मृगेन्द्रः शक्तिमुज्ज्वलाम् हुंकारेणैव रौद्रेण बभञ्ज भगवांस्तदा //

Transliteration

tāmāpatantīṃ samprekṣya mṛgendraḥ śaktimujjvalām huṃkāreṇaiva raudreṇa babhañja bhagavāṃstadā //

Translation

Seeing that blazing spear-weapon rushing toward him, the Lord—lion among beasts—then shattered it merely with a fierce, wrathful roar.

Word by Word

• ताम् (tām): that (weapon)

• आपतन्तीम् (āpatantīm): rushing/falling upon (him), coming swiftly

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य (samprekṣya): having looked at, beholding

• मृगेन्द्रः (mṛgendraḥ): lion, lord of beasts

• शक्तिम् (śaktim): spear/śakti weapon

• उज्ज्वलाम् (ujjvalām): blazing, radiant

• हुंकारेण (huṃkāreṇa): with a roar/huṃkāra

• एव (eva): indeed, merely

• रौद्रेण (raudreṇa): fierce, wrathful

• बभञ्ज (babhañja): shattered, broke to pieces

• भगवान् (bhagavān): the Blessed Lord

• तदा (tadā): then.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) or the primary storyteller describing the event (exact interlocutors not explicit in this single verse)

Entities Mentioned

• Bhagavān
• Mṛgendra (lion / lion-like divine form)
• Śakti (spear-weapon)

Tags

• Divine valor
• Weapon lore
• Avatara imagery
• Puranic battle
• Protection

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it highlights divine protective power in a battle context—showing that the Lord can neutralize destructive forces instantly.

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

It models the dharmic ideal of protection: like the Lord who stops a lethal threat, a king should safeguard subjects and a householder should defend dependents—using strength with restraint and purpose.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple-ritual rule appears here; the key takeaway is iconographic—“mṛgendra” evokes lion-like divine imagery often used in Purāṇic descriptions of protective forms.