Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

तारकाख्येन वार्यन्ते शरवर्षैस्तदा गणाः मयेन मायानिहतास् तारकाख्येन चेषुभिः गणेशा विधुरा जाता जीर्णमूला यथा द्रुमाः //

Transliteration

tārakākhyena vāryante śaravarṣaistadā gaṇāḥ mayena māyānihatās tārakākhyena ceṣubhiḥ gaṇeśā vidhurā jātā jīrṇamūlā yathā drumāḥ //

Translation

Then the Gaṇas were checked and driven back by Tāraka with a rain of arrows. Struck down by Māya’s māyā (illusion-power) and also by Tāraka’s shafts, the chiefs of the Gaṇas became shaken and impaired—like trees whose roots have grown old and decayed.

Word by Word

• तारकाख्येन (tārakākhyena): by (the one) named Tāraka

• वार्यन्ते (vāryante): are restrained/warded off/driven back

• शर-वर्षैः (śara-varṣaiḥ): by showers of arrows

• तदा (tadā): then

• गणाः (gaṇāḥ): the Gaṇas (Śiva’s attendant hosts)

• मयेन (mayena): by Māyā (the asura/demon architect) / by (one named) Maya

• माया-निहताः (māyā-nihatāḥ): struck down/overpowered by illusion

• तारकाख्येन (tārakākhyena): by Tāraka

• चेषुभिः (ceṣubhiḥ): by arrows/shafts

• गणेशाः (gaṇeśāḥ): leaders/lords of the Gaṇas

• विधुराः (vidhurāḥ): distressed, crippled, weakened

• जाताः (jātāḥ): became

• जीर्ण-मूलाः (jīrṇa-mūlāḥ): with decayed/aged roots

• यथा (yathā): like

• द्रुमाः (drumāḥ): trees

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) recounting the episode within the Matsya Purana’s dialogue frame to the sages (contextually within Matsya–Manu transmission).

Entities Mentioned

• Tāraka
• Māyā (asura/illusion)
• Gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)
• Gaṇeśas (leaders of the Gaṇas)

Tags

• Deva–Asura battle
• Māyā (illusion)
• Śaiva lore
• Puranic warfare
• Matsya Purana narrative

FAQs

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

This verse is not about cosmic dissolution; it uses the idea of māyā (illusion) and the image of uprooted trees to describe how even powerful forces can be destabilized—an ethical-symbolic motif rather than a Pralaya account.

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

Indirectly, it warns that strength without stability is fragile: like trees with decayed roots, leaders collapse when their foundations (discipline, clarity, dharma) are weak—an instructive analogy for governance and household conduct.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual rule is stated; the key technical term is māyā (illusion), which functions here as a strategic force in battle, not as architectural māyā (craft/measurement).