Shloka 39

Matsya Purana — The Battle at Tripura: Shiva’s Strategy

Devanagari script

तारकाख्यो जयत्येष इति दैत्या अघोषयन् जयतीन्द्रश्च रुद्रश्च इत्येव च गणेश्वराः //

Transliteration

tārakākhyo jayatyeṣa iti daityā aghoṣayan jayatīndraśca rudraśca ityeva ca gaṇeśvarāḥ //

Translation

The Daityas loudly proclaimed, “This Tāraka is victorious!” while the hosts of Gaṇas cried out in return, “Victory to Indra, and victory to Rudra!”

Word by Word

• तारकाख्यः (tārakākhyaḥ): named Tāraka

• जयति (jayati): is victorious / triumphs

• एषः (eṣaḥ): this one

• इति (iti): thus

• दैत्याḥ (daityāḥ): the Daityas (demons)

• अघोषयन् (aghoṣayan): shouted aloud / proclaimed

• जयति (jayati): is victorious

• इन्द्रः (indraḥ): Indra

• च (ca): and

• रुद्रः (rudraḥ): Rudra (Śiva)

• इति एव (iti eva): just so / in these very words

• च (ca): and

• गणेश्वराः (gaṇeśvarāḥ): the Gaṇa-lords, i.e., Śiva’s attendants / chiefs of the gaṇas

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) reporting the battlefield cries within the Matsya Purana’s dialogue frame

Entities Mentioned

• Tāraka (Tārakāsura)
• Daityas
• Indra
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Gaṇeśvaras (Śiva’s gaṇas)

Tags

• Deva-Asura war
• Tārakāsura
• Indra
• Rudra
• Battle narrative
• Puranic cosmology

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it depicts a deva–asura conflict, emphasizing how cosmic order is contested through battles where different factions proclaim victory.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces the Purāṇic ethic of siding with dharma-aligned forces: like the Devas invoking Indra and Rudra, a king is expected to uphold righteous order and support legitimate protectors of society.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule appears here; the ritual takeaway is the use of victorious acclamations (jayakāra) invoking deities (Indra, Rudra) as a marker of allegiance and morale in sacred narrative contexts.