Shloka 31

Matsya Purana — The Burning of Tripura and Rudra’s Victory

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तं वेगेन वेगवान्प्रसभं बलात् विद्युन्माली शरशतैः पूरयामास नन्दिनम् //

Transliteration

tamāpatantaṃ vegena vegavānprasabhaṃ balāt vidyunmālī śaraśataiḥ pūrayāmāsa nandinam //

Translation

As Nandī came rushing down with tremendous speed, Vidyunmālī—himself swift—violently, by sheer force, riddled Nandī with hundreds of arrows.

Word by Word

• tam: him (Nandī)

• āpatantam: rushing/falling upon (attacking, charging)

• vegena: with speed

• vegavān: swift/possessed of speed

• prasabham: forcibly/violently

• balāt: by force

• vidyunmālī: Vidyunmālī (name of the warrior)

• śara-śataiḥ: with hundreds of arrows

• pūrayāmāsa: filled, completely pierced/riddled

• nandinam: Nandī (Śiva’s attendant/bull, here as a combatant)

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) or the ongoing narrative voice describing the battle (contextual attribution for Matsya Purana battle passages)

Entities Mentioned

• Vidyunmālī
• Nandī

Tags

• Battle
• Shaiva
• Daitya-conflict
• Archery
• Puranic narrative

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya or cosmology; it is a martial description emphasizing force (balāt) and speed (vega) in a battle episode.

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

Indirectly, it reflects kṣātra ideals found across Purāṇas—decisive action, strength, and tactical swiftness in conflict—though the verse itself is purely descriptive and not a prescriptive rule for rājadharma or gṛhastha-dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu/temple-building or ritual procedure is mentioned; the imagery is strictly battlefield-oriented (arrows, speed, overpowering force).