Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — The Array of the Gods: Description of the Vaiṣṇava Host and the Lokapālas

Devanagari script

चतुर्भिः सागरैर्युक्तो लेलिहानैश्च पन्नगैः शङ्खमुक्ताङ्गदधरो बिभ्रत्तोयमयं वपुः //

Transliteration

caturbhiḥ sāgarairyukto lelihānaiśca pannagaiḥ śaṅkhamuktāṅgadadharo bibhrattoyamayaṃ vapuḥ //

Translation

Joined with the four oceans and surrounded by licking, serpentine nāgas, He bore the conch and pearl-ornaments and armlets—manifesting a body made of water itself.

Word by Word

• चतुर्भिः: with four

• सागरैः: oceans

• युक्तः: joined/connected

• लेलिहानैः: licking (with flickering tongues)/lapping about

• च: and

• पन्नगैः: by serpents, nāgas

• शङ्ख: conch

• मुक्त: pearls

• अङ्गद: armlets

• धरः/धरो: bearing/wearing

• बिभ्रत्: carrying, holding

• तोयमयम्: consisting of water, water-formed

• वपुः: body, form

Speaker

• Sūta / Purāṇic narrator (describing Lord Matsya to the listening sages, within the Manu–Matsya deluge context)

Entities Mentioned

• Four Oceans (Catur-samudra)
• Nāgas (Pannagas)
• Śaṅkha (Conch)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Matsya Avatara
• Iconography
• Cosmic Waters
• Nāga symbolism

FAQs

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

It depicts the deluge-state cosmos as water-dominant: the Lord’s form is described as “water-made,” linked with the four oceans and encircled by nāgas, emphasizing dissolution into primordial waters under divine sovereignty.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces the Purāṇic ethic of seeking refuge in dharma and the divine during calamity: just as the Lord remains the stable protector amid cosmic flooding, rulers and householders are urged to uphold order, restraint, and devotion when society faces संकट (crisis).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The verse is primarily iconographic: it supports Vishnu/Matsya imagery marked by the śaṅkha and rich ornaments. In temple practice, such markers guide pratima-lakṣaṇa (icon identification) and ritual visualization of the deity amid the cosmic waters.