Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

ते दानवशरा घोरा दानवेन्द्रसमीरिताः विलयं जग्मुराकाशे खद्योता इव पर्वते //

Transliteration

te dānavaśarā ghorā dānavendrasamīritāḥ vilayaṃ jagmurākāśe khadyotā iva parvate //

Translation

Those dreadful arrows of the Dānavas, discharged at the command of the lord of the Dānavas, vanished into the sky—like fireflies disappearing against a mountain.

Word by Word

• te: those

• dānava-śarāḥ: arrows/missiles of the Dānavas

• ghorāḥ: terrible, fearsome

• dānava-indra-samīritāḥ: loosed/impelled by the Dānava-king (lit. ‘Dānava-Indra’)

• vilayam: to destruction, to disappearance

• jagmuḥ: went, passed

• ākāśe: in the sky

• khadyotāḥ: fireflies, glow-worms

• iva: like

• parvate: on/against a mountain

Speaker

• Sūta (narratorial voice within the Purāṇic telling; describing the scene rather than direct instruction)

Entities Mentioned

• Dānava
• Dānava-indra (lord of the Dānavas)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Puranic battle imagery
• Divine protection
• Danavas
• Cosmic dissolution motifs

FAQs

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

It uses a dissolution-style metaphor—fearsome forces (the Dānava arrows) lose efficacy and ‘dissolve’ into the sky, suggesting that adharma-driven power becomes insubstantial when cosmic order reasserts itself.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces a key Purāṇic ethic: power rooted in aggression and adharma is unstable. A king’s duty is to uphold dharma rather than rely on fearsome force; a householder likewise should prioritize righteous conduct over coercion.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated; the verse is primarily poetic narrative. Its takeaway is symbolic—like fireflies against a mountain, hostile forces can appear bright briefly yet prove negligible before a greater, steady order.