Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

ततो ऽश्मवर्षे विहते जलवर्षमनन्तरम् धाराभिरक्षमात्राभिः प्रादुरासीत्समन्ततः //

Transliteration

tato 'śmavarṣe vihate jalavarṣamanantaram dhārābhirakṣamātrābhiḥ prādurāsītsamantataḥ //

Translation

Then, when the shower of stones had subsided, immediately afterward a rain of water appeared on every side, falling in streams as thick as an axle.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then

• aśma-varṣe: in the stone-rain (hail/stone shower)

• vihate: when struck down/checked/ceased

• jala-varṣam: a rain of water

• anantaram: immediately thereafter

• dhārābhiḥ: with torrents/streams

• akṣa-mātrābhiḥ: of the measure/thickness of an axle

• prādurāsīt: manifested/appeared

• samantataḥ: on all sides/everywhere

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the Pralaya-omens within the Matsya Purana’s Manu–Matsya frame

Tags

• Pralaya
• Portents
• Deluge
• Cosmic dissolution
• Matsya narrative

FAQs

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

It depicts escalating pralaya-portents: after a destructive stone-shower, an immediate, all-encompassing deluge begins with torrents described as axle-thick, signaling the onset of overwhelming dissolution conditions.

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

Indirectly, it frames the ethical urgency behind dharma: when cosmic disorder manifests as uncontrollable calamity, rulers and householders are reminded to uphold preparedness, restraint, and adherence to righteous counsel (as in the Manu–Matsya guidance) rather than pride in human control.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual rule is stated; however, the verse’s imagery of axle-thick torrents is often used in Purana-style discourse to emphasize that even strong structures are vulnerable in pralaya, underscoring why Vastu and rites are ultimately subordinate to cosmic time.