Shloka 48

Matsya Purana — The Battle for Tripura: Portents

Devanagari script

बहुवदनवतां किमेष शब्दो नदतां श्रूयते भिन्नसागराभः वद वचनं तडिन्मालिन् किं किम् एतद्गणपाला युयुधुर्ययुर्गजेन्द्राः //

Transliteration

bahuvadanavatāṃ kimeṣa śabdo nadatāṃ śrūyate bhinnasāgarābhaḥ vada vacanaṃ taḍinmālin kiṃ kim etadgaṇapālā yuyudhuryayurgajendrāḥ //

Translation

“What is this roar that is being heard—like the bellowing of many mouths, like the sound of a sea being split? Speak, O lightning-garlanded one—what is this? Are the troop-guardians engaged in combat? Have the lordly elephants surged forth?”

Word by Word

• बहुवदनवताम्: of (those) having many mouths / as if many mouths

• किम्: what?

• एषः: this

• शब्दः: sound, roar

• नदताम्: of those roaring/bellowing

• श्रूयते: is heard

• भिन्नसागराभः: resembling the ocean split/cleft

• वद: speak, tell

• वचनम्: words, statement

• तडिन्मालिन्: O one garlanded with lightning (epithet)

• किं किम्: what indeed? what is it?

• एतत्: this

• गणपालाः: guardians/leaders of troops (captains)

• युयुधुः: fought, engaged in battle

• ययुः: went forth, advanced, rushed

• गजेन्द्राः: lordly elephants, elephant-kings

Speaker

• Narrative voice within a royal/battle episode (speaker not explicitly marked in the provided single verse; likely a king/commander addressing a radiant/armed figure or messenger)

Entities Mentioned

• gajendrāḥ (elephant-lords)
• gaṇapālāḥ (troop-guardians/captains)

Tags

• Dynasties
• Battle-omens
• War-noise
• Royal narrative
• Puranic poetry

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it is a battlefield-style description focused on a tremendous roar and the movement of troop-leaders and elephant-lords.

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

It reflects a king/leader’s vigilance: correctly identifying threats, seeking timely intelligence (“Speak—what is this?”), and recognizing key military forces (captains and war elephants) before acting.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu Shastra, temple-building, or ritual procedure is stated here; the verse is poetic military narration centered on sound-omens and troop movement.