Shloka 42

Matsya Purana — Origin of Soma

Devanagari script

अशेषसत्त्वक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धस् तीक्ष्णायुधास्त्रज्वलनैकरूपः शस्त्रैरथान्योन्यमशेषसैन्यं द्वयोर्जगाम क्षयमुग्रतीक्ष्णैः //

Transliteration

aśeṣasattvakṣayakṛtpravṛddhas tīkṣṇāyudhāstrajvalanaikarūpaḥ śastrairathānyonyamaśeṣasainyaṃ dvayorjagāma kṣayamugratīkṣṇaiḥ //

Translation

The battle swelled into a force that brought about the destruction of countless living beings; it appeared as a single blaze of sharp weapons and flaming missiles. Then, striking one another with fierce and keen arms, the entire armies on both sides went to annihilation.

Word by Word

• aśeṣa: without remainder, entire

• sattva: living beings, creatures

• kṣaya-kṛt: causing destruction/decay

• pravṛddhaḥ: greatly increased, intensified

• tīkṣṇa: sharp, keen

• āyudha: weapon

• astra: missile/weapon discharged

• jvalana: blazing, flaming

• eka-rūpaḥ: of one form/appearance (like a single conflagration)

• śastraiḥ: with weapons (hand-held arms)

• atha: then

• anyonyam: one another, mutually

• aśeṣa-sainyam: the whole army

• dvayoḥ: of both (sides)

• jagāma: went/reached

• kṣayam: destruction, end

• ugra: fierce, terrible

• tīkṣṇaiḥ: with sharp/keen (weapons)

Speaker

• Suta (Purana narrator) describing events (narrative voice within Matsya Purana)

Tags

• War
• Kshaya
• Dharma
• Puranic narrative
• Martial imagery

FAQs

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

It is not a cosmic pralaya passage; it uses pralaya-like imagery to portray battlefield kṣaya—total destruction—showing how violence can mimic a world-ending conflagration on a human scale.

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

By emphasizing mutual annihilation as the end-result of unchecked warfare, it indirectly supports the Rajadharma ideal that a king should employ force only when necessary and with restraint, aiming to protect subjects rather than escalate slaughter.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; its primary function is martial narration, using ‘blazing weapons’ as a literary image rather than a technical ritual/architectural instruction.