Shloka 126

Matsya Purana — The Slaying of Jambha and the Rise of Tāraka: Divine Battle Formations

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दैत्यो विवृतास्यो ऽग्रसत्क्षणात् त्रीणि लक्षाणि गन्धर्वीकिंनरोरगराक्षसान् //

Transliteration

etasminnantare daityo vivṛtāsyo 'grasatkṣaṇāt trīṇi lakṣāṇi gandharvīkiṃnaroragarākṣasān //

Translation

Meanwhile, that Daitya—his jaws gaping wide—instantly swallowed up three lakhs of Gandharvīs, Kiṃnaras, serpent-beings, and Rākṣasas.

Word by Word

• etasmin antare: in the meantime/at that interval

• daityaḥ: the Daitya (demon/asura)

• vivṛta-āsyaḥ: with mouth wide open, gaping-jawed

• agrasat: swallowed, devoured

• kṣaṇāt: in an instant

• trīṇi: three

• lakṣāṇi: lakhs (hundred-thousands)

• gandharvī: female Gandharva/celestial musician

• kiṃnara: Kiṃnara (celestial being)

• oraga: serpent-being/nāga

• rākṣasān: Rākṣasas (ogre-demons)

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) / narrative voice (battle description)

Entities Mentioned

• Daitya
• Gandharvīs
• Kiṃnaras
• Oragas (Nāgas/serpent-beings)
• Rākṣasas

Tags

• Daitya
• Battle narrative
• Cosmic beings
• Mythic warfare
• Puranic hyperbole

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it uses epic-scale imagery of mass-devouring in a battle context, a common Purāṇic device to convey overwhelming destructive power.

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

Indirectly, it functions as a warning-image: unchecked violence and predatory power (symbolized by the Daitya swallowing multitudes) is the opposite of rājadharma, where a king must protect diverse beings and restrain destructive forces.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; its significance is narrative—cataloguing classes of beings (Gandharvas, Kiṃnaras, Nāgas, Rākṣasas) often invoked elsewhere in Purāṇas in ritual and iconographic contexts.