Shloka 1

Matsya Purana — The Advent of Narasiṃha and Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Weapon-Assault

Devanagari script

*सूत उवाच ततो दृष्ट्वा महात्मानं कालचक्रमिवागतम् नरसिंहवपुश्छन्नं भस्मच्छन्नमिवानलम् //

Transliteration

*sūta uvāca tato dṛṣṭvā mahātmānaṃ kālacakramivāgatam narasiṃhavapuśchannaṃ bhasmacchannamivānalam //

Translation

Sūta said: Then, seeing that great-souled being arrive like the very Wheel of Time, veiled in a man-lion form—like fire covered over with ash—(they were struck with awe).

Word by Word

• sūta uvāca: Sūta said

• tataḥ: then

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen

• mahātmānam: the great-souled one, exalted being

• kālacakram iva: like the Wheel of Time (fate/time’s inexorable power)

• āgatam: arrived/come

• narasiṃha-vapuḥ: a man-lion body/form

• channam: covered/veiled/clad

• bhasma-channam: covered with ash

• iva: like

• analam: fire

Speaker

• Sūta (Sūta Gosvāmin)

Entities Mentioned

• Sūta
• Kālacakra (Wheel of Time)
• Narasiṃha (man-lion form, implied)

Tags

• Theophany
• Iconography
• Time (Kāla)
• Awe/Fear (Adbhuta-Rasa)
• Purāṇic narrative

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it emphasizes Kāla (Time) as an overwhelming cosmic force, portraying the arriving figure as inevitable and world-shaping like the “Wheel of Time.”

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

Indirectly, it frames divine power as irresistible and morally weighty—reminding kings and householders that dharma must be upheld with humility before Kāla, since worldly power is transient.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated; the verse is primarily iconographic and theological, offering a vivid visual motif (Narasiṃha-like form, fire under ash) useful for devotional contemplation and imagery.