Shloka 57

Matsya Purana — The Madana-Dvādaśī Vow and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

चिछेद वृत्रहन्ता वै पुनस्तदुदरे स्थितः एवमेकोनपञ्चाशद् भूत्वा ते रुरुदुर्भृशम् //

Transliteration

cicheda vṛtrahantā vai punastadudare sthitaḥ evamekonapañcāśad bhūtvā te rurudurbhṛśam //

Translation

Then Vṛtrahantā, the slayer of Vṛtra (Indra), cut him again; yet he remained lodged within that belly. Thus becoming forty-nine in number, they wailed aloud in great distress.

Word by Word

• चिछेद (cicheda): cut asunder

• वृत्रहन्ता (vṛtrahantā): the slayer of Vṛtra, i.e., Indra

• वै (vai): indeed

• पुनः (punaḥ): again

• तत्-उदरे (tad-udare): in that belly/abdomen

• स्थितः (sthitaḥ): remained/stayed

• एवम् (evam): thus

• एकोनपञ्चाशत् (ekona-pañcāśat): one less than fifty, i.e., forty-nine

• भूत्वा (bhūtvā): having become

• ते (te): they/those beings

• रुरुदुः (ruruduḥ): cried/wailed

• भृशम् (bhṛśam): exceedingly, loudly.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode within the Matsya Purana’s early mythic narration

Entities Mentioned

• Indra (Vṛtrahan)
• Vṛtra

Tags

• Deva-Asura
• Indra
• Mythic battle
• Karmic consequence
• Puranic narrative

FAQs

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

This verse is not a Pralaya (cosmic dissolution) statement; it belongs to an early mythic conflict cycle, emphasizing the persistence of hostile forces even after being “cut down,” rather than describing cosmic flooding or dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it underscores a dharmic lesson often applied to rulership: merely suppressing a problem by force may not remove its root; a king (or householder) must address causes and consequences, not only symptoms, to restore order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu Shastra, temple-architecture, or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; it is a narrative detail from a battle episode rather than a prescriptive ritual or architectural rule.