Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

स नन्दी दानवेन्द्रेण परिघेण दृढाहतः भ्रमते मधुना व्यक्तः पुरा नारायणो यथा //

Transliteration

sa nandī dānavendreṇa parigheṇa dṛḍhāhataḥ bhramate madhunā vyaktaḥ purā nārāyaṇo yathā //

Translation

Then Nandī, struck hard by the lord of the Dānavas with an iron club (parigha), reeled about—just as Nārāyaṇa once did when, in battle with Madhu, he was plainly shaken.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he/that one

• nandī: Nandī (Śiva’s attendant/bull)

• dānavendreṇa: by the king/lord of the Dānavas (demons)

• parigheṇa: with a parigha (iron club/bar, bludgeon)

• dṛḍha-āhataḥ: firmly/violently struck

• bhramate: reels, staggers, whirls about

• madhunā: by Madhu (the asura Madhu)

• vyaktaḥ: manifestly, clearly, evidently

• purā: formerly, in ancient times

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)

• yathā: just as

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the battle (reported narration)

Entities Mentioned

• Nandī
• Dānava-indra (Daitya/Dānava king)
• Parigha (iron club)
• Madhu
• Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)

Tags

• Daitya battle
• Hari-legend
• Purāṇic simile
• Mythic warfare
• Iconography context

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya; it is a battle-description, emphasizing heroic endurance through a comparison to Nārāyaṇa’s earlier struggle with the asura Madhu.

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

Indirectly, it models kṣānti (steadfastness) and dhairya (courage under attack): even the greatest can be shaken, yet the ideal is to regain composure and continue one’s duty—an ethic often extended in Purāṇas to kings facing adversity.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated; the main technical note is the weapon term parigha (iron club), useful for iconography and Purāṇic martial vocabulary when cataloging depictions of combat scenes.