Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

शरभानष्टपादांश्च अपः पवनमेव च मयो मायाबलेनैव पातयत्येव शत्रुषु //

Transliteration

śarabhānaṣṭapādāṃśca apaḥ pavanameva ca mayo māyābalenaiva pātayatyeva śatruṣu //

Translation

And Māya, by the sheer power of māyā (illusion), unleashes against the enemies the śarabhas with their legs ruined, along with torrents of water and even violent winds.

Word by Word

• māyaḥ: Māya (the Asura/architect-magician)

• māyā-balena eva: by the power of illusion alone

• śatruṣu: upon/against the enemies

• pātayati eva: causes to fall/lets loose/casts down

• śarabhānaṣṭa-pādān: śarabhas whose feet/legs are destroyed or disabled

• ca: and

• apaḥ: waters (floods/torrents)

• pavanam eva: wind itself (gales)

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic account; verse describes Māya’s actions within the narrative flow)

Entities Mentioned

• Māya
• Śarabha
• Ap (waters)
• Pavana (wind)

Tags

• Māyā
• Illusion
• Puranic warfare
• Ritual power
• Matsya Purana narrative

FAQs

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

It does not describe cosmic pralaya directly, but it uses pralaya-like imagery—flooding waters (apaḥ) and destructive winds (pavana)—as weapons produced through māyā (illusionary power).

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

Indirectly, it warns that adversaries may employ deception and psychological terror (māyā-bala) alongside force; a king’s duty is to maintain discernment, protect subjects, and counter threats with strategic clarity rather than panic.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The key technical term is māyā-bala—power derived from specialized knowledge/illusion—associated in Purāṇic tradition with Māya as a master artisan; it hints at the broader Matsya Purana theme that expertise (śilpa/vidyā) can manifest powerful effects, though no direct temple-measurement rule is stated in this verse.