Shloka 89

Matsya Purana — Tārakāsura’s Austerity and Boon; Mobilization for War; Bṛhaspati’s Fourfold P...

Devanagari script

मुसलासिगदाहस्ता रथे चोष्णीषदंशिताः महामेघरवा नागा भीमोल्काशनिहेतयः //

Transliteration

musalāsigadāhastā rathe coṣṇīṣadaṃśitāḥ mahāmegharavā nāgā bhīmolkāśanihetayaḥ //

Translation

Armed with musalas, swords, and maces, and mounted on chariots with crested helmets fastened on, those Nāga warriors roared like great thunderclouds, wielding dreadful meteors and thunderbolts as their weapons.

Word by Word

• musala: club

• asi: sword

• gadā: mace

• hastāḥ: having in their hands/armed with

• rathe: on chariots

• ca: and

• uṣṇīṣa: turban/helmet/crest

• daṃśitāḥ: girded/fastened on/armed

• mahā: great

• megha: cloud

• ravāḥ: having a roar/sound

• nāgāḥ: Nāgas (serpent-clan warriors)

• bhīma: terrifying

• ulkā: meteor/firebrand

• aśani: thunderbolt

• hetayaḥ: weapons/missiles

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the battle scene within the Matsya Purana narrative

Entities Mentioned

• Nāgas

Tags

• Yuddha-varnana
• Weapons
• Warriors
• Epic imagery
• Martial catalogue

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a martial catalogue describing Nāga warriors’ arms, chariots, and thunder-like roar, using cosmic imagery (cloud, meteor, thunderbolt) to intensify battlefield power.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the kṣātra (royal/warrior) sphere emphasized in Purāṇic ethics: disciplined soldiery, proper armament, and organized chariot warfare—elements associated with a king’s duty to protect and wage righteous war when necessary.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual instruction appears here; the key takeaway is iconographic-martial vocabulary (weapons, chariot, helmet/crest) useful for interpreting Purāṇic descriptions of warriors in temple reliefs and narrative art.