Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

शिखिनं बलिनं चैव तप्तकुण्डलभूषणम् विचित्रपत्रवसनं धातुमन्तमिवाचलम् //

Transliteration

śikhinaṃ balinaṃ caiva taptakuṇḍalabhūṣaṇam vicitrapatravasanaṃ dhātumantamivācalam //

Translation

He should be depicted with a crest or topknot, powerfully built, adorned with gleaming ear-ornaments, clothed in garments of variegated, patterned fabric, and standing firm like an immovable mountain rich in minerals.

Word by Word

• śikhinam: crested/topknotted

• balinam: strong, mighty

• ca eva: and indeed

• tapta-kuṇḍala-bhūṣaṇam: ornamented with shining (as if heated/bright) earrings

• vicitra-patra-vasanam: wearing cloth with varied patterns/leaf-like motifs

• dhātu-mantam: rich in ores/minerals, metal-bearing

• iva: like

• acalam: a mountain, immovable one

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (instructing Vaivasvata Manu on iconographic/ritual description)

Tags

• Iconography
• Pratima Lakshana
• Temple Art
• Ornaments
• Vastu Shastra

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to iconographic instruction, focusing on how a figure should be portrayed—strong, ornamented, and mountain-like in steadiness.

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

Indirectly, it supports dharma through correct worship: patrons (kings/householders) are advised in the Purāṇic tradition to commission images that follow śāstric marks, ensuring ritually valid assurance, protection, and merit.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It gives pratima-lakṣaṇa details used by sculptors and temple planners—proper ornaments (shining earrings), prescribed attire (patterned cloth), and a stable, mountain-like stance that conveys auspicious power and permanence in temple imagery.