Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

विद्युतां यत्र संपाता निपात्यन्ते नगोत्तमे ऋषभः पर्वतश्चैव श्रीमान्वृषभसंज्ञितः //

Transliteration

vidyutāṃ yatra saṃpātā nipātyante nagottame ṛṣabhaḥ parvataścaiva śrīmānvṛṣabhasaṃjñitaḥ //

Translation

On that foremost of mountains, where the flashes of lightning are seen to strike and fall, there is also the splendid mountain Ṛṣabha, renowned by the name Vṛṣabha.

Word by Word

• vidyutām: of lightnings

• yatra: where

• saṃpātāḥ: descents/strikings (sudden falls)

• nipātyante: fall down/strike

• naga-uttame: on the best of mountains / O best among mountains

• ṛṣabhaḥ: Ṛṣabha (name of a mountain)

• parvataḥ: mountain

• ca eva: and indeed/also

• śrīmān: splendid, illustrious

• vṛṣabha-saṃjñitaḥ: called/known as Vṛṣabha

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the Matsya Purana’s sacred-geography section

Entities Mentioned

• Ṛṣabha Parvata
• Vṛṣabha (name/epithet of the mountain)
• Vidyut (lightning)

Tags

• Tirtha
• Sacred Geography
• Parvata
• Mahatmya
• Puranic Topography

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it is a sacred-geography note highlighting a mountain locale marked by frequent lightning strikes, a natural marvel used to characterize holy terrain.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic ideal that rulers and householders gain merit by honoring and visiting renowned sacred regions (tīrthas, mountains), preserving their sanctity, and supporting pilgrims.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or temple rule is stated; the practical takeaway is that sacred-site descriptions often include natural markers (like lightning-prone peaks) that help identify and venerate specific pilgrimage landscapes.