Shloka 70

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

Devanagari script

यमो गदास्त्रो वरुणश्च भास्करस् तथा कुमारो ऽमरकोटिसंयुतः स्वयं च शक्रः सितनागवाहनः कुलीशपाणिः सुरलोकपुंगवः //

Transliteration

yamo gadāstro varuṇaśca bhāskaras tathā kumāro 'marakoṭisaṃyutaḥ svayaṃ ca śakraḥ sitanāgavāhanaḥ kulīśapāṇiḥ suralokapuṃgavaḥ //

Translation

Yama, bearing the mace as his weapon; Varuṇa; and Bhāskara (the Sun); and Kumāra (Skanda), attended by crores of immortals—together with Śakra (Indra) himself, whose mount is the white elephant, the wielder of the thunderbolt (vajra), the foremost champion of the heavenly world—(all were present).

Word by Word

• yamaḥ: Yama (lord of justice and death)

• gadā-astraḥ: whose weapon is a mace

• varuṇaḥ: Varuṇa (lord of waters/cosmic order)

• ca: and

• bhāskaraḥ: Bhāskara, the Sun

• tathā: likewise/also

• kumāraḥ: Kumāra (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

• amara-koṭi-saṃyutaḥ: accompanied by crores of immortals (gods)

• svayam: himself

• ca: and

• śakraḥ: Śakra (Indra)

• sita-nāga-vāhanaḥ: whose vehicle is the white elephant (Airāvata)

• kulīśa-pāṇiḥ: thunderbolt (vajra) in hand

• sura-loka-puṃgavaḥ: the foremost/bull among the denizens of heaven

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the divine assembly (contextual narration within Matsya Purana’s dialogue frame)

Entities Mentioned

• Yama
• Varuṇa
• Bhāskara (Sūrya)
• Kumāra (Skanda/Kārttikeya)
• Śakra (Indra)
• Airāvata
• Amaras (Devas)

Tags

• Devas
• Indra
• Deva-sabha
• Iconography
• Puranic cosmology

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya directly; it lists major deities and their identifying attributes, indicating a divine gathering/attendance rather than a creation-or-dissolution event.

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

Indirectly, it foregrounds Yama (justice), Varuṇa (cosmic order), and Indra (sovereignty), which Purāṇic ethics often mirror in royal duty: protection, lawful punishment, and maintenance of order—though the verse itself is primarily descriptive.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or temple-building rule appears here; the main ritual/ikonographic takeaway is the standard identification of deities by weapons and mounts (e.g., Indra with vajra and Airāvata), useful for pratīmā-lakṣaṇa (iconographic recognition).