Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

अरुणावरजं श्रीमान् आरुह्य समरे विभुः सुवर्णवर्णवपुषा सुपर्णं खेचरोत्तमम् //

Transliteration

aruṇāvarajaṃ śrīmān āruhya samare vibhuḥ suvarṇavarṇavapuṣā suparṇaṃ khecarottamam //

Translation

The glorious Lord—mighty in battle—mounted Aruṇa’s younger brother, Suparṇa (Garuḍa), the foremost of sky‑moving beings, whose body shone with a golden hue.

Word by Word

• अरुणावरजम् (aruṇāvarajam): Aruṇa’s younger brother (Garuḍa)

• श्रीमान् (śrīmān): glorious, endowed with splendour

• आरुह्य (āruhya): having mounted, having ascended

• समरे (samare): in battle

• विभुः (vibhuḥ): the all-powerful Lord

• सुवर्ण-वर्ण-वपुषा (suvarṇa-varṇa-vapuṣā): with a golden-coloured body

• सुपर्णम् (suparṇam): Suparṇa, the fair-winged one (Garuḍa)

• खेचर-उत्तमम् (khecara-uttamam): the best of aerial beings.

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the scene

Entities Mentioned

• Aruṇa
• Garuḍa (Suparṇa)
• Vibhu (the Lord, i.e., Viṣṇu/Hari)

Tags

• Garuḍa
• Iconography
• Battle
• Vaishnava
• Divine Vehicles

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya; it focuses on divine martial imagery—depicting the Lord mounting Garuḍa, the supreme aerial being.

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

Indirectly, it models the ideal of righteous strength and readiness in conflict: the ‘vibhuḥ’ entering battle signifies decisive action in protecting dharma—an ethic later applied to kingly protection (rājadharma).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated; however, Garuḍa as ‘khecarottama’ aligns with iconographic themes used in temple art (Garuḍa-vāhana motifs) rather than construction rules.