Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

स वायुः सर्वभूतायुर् उद्भूतः स्वेन तेजसा ववौ प्रव्यथयन्दैत्यान् प्रतिलोमं सतोयदः //

Transliteration

sa vāyuḥ sarvabhūtāyur udbhūtaḥ svena tejasā vavau pravyathayandaityān pratilomaṃ satoyadaḥ //

Translation

That Wind—the very life-breath of all beings—arose by its own fiery power and began to blow, violently afflicting the Daityas, driving the waters to surge in a contrary (reverse) course.

Word by Word

• स (sa): that

• वायुः (vāyuḥ): Wind, cosmic air

• सर्वभूतायुः (sarvabhūtāyuḥ): life-breath of all beings

• उद्भूतः (udbhūtaḥ): arisen, sprung forth

• स्वेन (svena): by its own

• तेजसा (tejasā): by fiery energy, radiance

• ववौ (vavau): blew

• प्रव्यथयन् (pravyathayan): greatly distressing, shaking, tormenting

• दैत्यान् (daityān): the Daityas (asura-clans)

• प्रतिलोमम् (pratilomam): against the natural order, in reverse

• सतोयदः (satoyadaḥ): with waters/with water-bearing masses (i.e., the watery floods, water-laden currents).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the pralaya-phenomena within the Matsya Purana’s discourse framework

Entities Mentioned

• Vāyu
• Daityas

Tags

• Pralaya
• CosmicWind
• Daityas
• FloodImagery
• MatsyaPurana

FAQs

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

It portrays pralaya as a cosmic upheaval where the life-wind (vāyu) erupts with tejas and reverses natural flows—waters surge unnaturally and hostile forces like the Daityas are shaken and scattered.

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

Indirectly, it underscores impermanence and the fragility of worldly order; in the Matsya Purana’s ethical frame, kings and householders should govern and live by dharma with preparedness and restraint, knowing nature and fate can overturn stability.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct vastu/ritual rule is stated; the takeaway is contextual—pralaya imagery explains why temples and rites emphasize cosmic order (ṛta) and protective consecrations, aiming to stabilize space against disorder.