Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

विषज्वालाकुलैर्वक्त्रैर् विमुञ्चन्तो हुताशनम् चतुःशीर्षाः पञ्चशीर्षाः सप्तशीर्षाश्च पन्नगाः //

Transliteration

viṣajvālākulairvaktrair vimuñcanto hutāśanam catuḥśīrṣāḥ pañcaśīrṣāḥ saptaśīrṣāśca pannagāḥ //

Translation

Serpents—four-headed, five-headed, and seven-headed—filled their mouths with venomous flames and were spewing forth blazing fire.

Word by Word

• viṣa-jvālā: poisonous flames

• ākulaiḥ: filled/teeming with

• vaktraiḥ: with mouths/faces

• vimuñcantaḥ: releasing, emitting, spewing

• hutāśanam: fire (the consumer of offerings)

• catuḥ-śīrṣāḥ: four-headed

• pañca-śīrṣāḥ: five-headed

• sapta-śīrṣāḥ: seven-headed

• ca: and

• pannagāḥ: serpents, nāgas

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu, describing pralaya-like terrors and cosmic upheaval)

Entities Mentioned

• Pannagas (Nāgas)
• Hutāśana (Fire)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Ominous portents
• Cosmic terror
• Nāgas
• Mythic imagery

FAQs

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

It depicts a pralaya-like atmosphere through terrifying, unnatural signs—multi-headed serpents emitting fire—symbolizing the breakdown of ordinary cosmic order during dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it functions as a warning motif: when disorder and fear dominate, one should adhere more firmly to dharma, restraint, and protective leadership rather than panic—core ideals repeatedly reinforced in the Matsya Purana’s ethical framing.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual procedure is stated; the key takeaway is symbolic—“hutāśana” (sacrificial fire) appears here as destructive fire, contrasting with its regulated ritual role, underscoring how cosmic imbalance distorts sacred elements.