Shloka 13

Matsya Purana — The Greatness and Procedure of the Aṅgāra

Devanagari script

वीरभद्र इति ख्यातः करपादायुतैर्युतः कृत्वासौ यज्ञमथनं पुनर्भूतलसम्भवः त्रिजगन्निर्दहन्भूयः शिवेन विनिवारितः //

Transliteration

vīrabhadra iti khyātaḥ karapādāyutairyutaḥ kṛtvāsau yajñamathanaṃ punarbhūtalasambhavaḥ trijagannirdahanbhūyaḥ śivena vinivāritaḥ //

Translation

He became renowned as Vīrabhadra, endowed with a thousand hands and feet. Having shattered the sacrificial rite, he again emerged upon the earth; and when he once more began to burn the three worlds, Śiva restrained him.

Word by Word

• वीरभद्रः (vīrabhadraḥ): Vīrabhadra

• इति (iti): thus

• ख्यातः (khyātaḥ): renowned/celebrated

• कर-पाद-आयुतैः (kara-pāda-āyutaiḥ): with a thousand hands and feet

• युतः (yutaḥ): endowed/possessed of

• कृत्वा (kṛtvā): having done/having performed

• असौ (asau): that one/he

• यज्ञ-मथनम् (yajña-mathanam): the crushing/shattering of the sacrifice (sacrificial rite)

• पुनः (punaḥ): again

• भूतल-सम्भवः (bhūtala-sambhavaḥ): arising/manifesting on the earth

• त्रि-जगत् (tri-jagat): the three worlds

• निर्दहन् (nirdahan): burning/consuming with fire

• भूयः (bhūyaḥ): once more/again

• शिवेन (śivena): by Śiva

• विनिवारितः (vinivāritaḥ): restrained/checked/held back

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode within the Purāṇic dialogue

Entities Mentioned

• Vīrabhadra
• Śiva
• Tri-loka (three worlds)
• Yajña (sacrifice)

Tags

• Shaiva
• Yajna
• Mythic-Cosmic
• Ritual-Order
• Wrath-and-Restraint

FAQs

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

It is not a Pralaya (cosmic dissolution) verse; it depicts near-cosmic destruction—Vīrabhadra’s fire threatening the three worlds—followed by Śiva’s restraint, emphasizing containment of destructive power rather than total dissolution.

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

The verse underscores that even righteous power can become catastrophic if unrestrained; by analogy, kings and householders must govern anger and enforce order so that punishment or zeal does not harm the wider social world (tri-jagat as a moral symbol of the whole realm).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it highlights the grave consequence of disrupting a yajña and the need for proper conduct and authority in sacrifice; the narrative frames yajña as a cosmic-order act whose violation can unleash destructive forces requiring divine (or lawful) restraint.