Shloka 133

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

Devanagari script

ऊरुभिर् गजहस्ताभैः करीन्द्रैर्वाचलोपमैः भग्नेषादण्डचक्राक्षै रथैः सारथिभिः सह //

Transliteration

ūrubhir gajahastābhaiḥ karīndrairvācalopamaiḥ bhagneṣādaṇḍacakrākṣai rathaiḥ sārathibhiḥ saha //

Translation

With thighs like elephants’ trunks, with lordly elephants like moving mountains, and with chariots—together with their charioteers—whose arrow-shafts, poles, wheels, and axles had been shattered.

Word by Word

• ūrubhiḥ: with thighs

• gaja-hastābhaiḥ: resembling elephants’ trunks

• karīndraiḥ: with lordly elephants (bull-elephants)

• vācalopamaiḥ: comparable to moving mountains (i.e., massive and mobile)

• bhagna: broken, shattered

• iṣu: arrow

• daṇḍa: shaft/rod/pole

• cakra: wheel

• akṣaiḥ: with axles

• rathaiḥ: with chariots

• sārathibhiḥ saha: along with charioteers

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) / Purana narrator describing the battle scene (descriptive narration rather than direct dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• karīndra (war-elephants)
• ratha (chariots)
• sārathi (charioteers)

Tags

• Battle
• Kshatriya
• War-elephants
• Chariots
• Epic-style narration

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a battlefield tableau, emphasizing destruction in war (broken chariots and massive elephants), not cosmic dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Kshatriya sphere of rājadharma—war conducted with organized arms (chariots, elephants, charioteers). The verse functions as a vivid reminder of the cost and violence of conflict that a king must weigh when upholding order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu or ritual procedure is stated here; the technical terms are martial (ratha, cakra, akṣa), useful mainly for understanding ancient material culture rather than temple architecture rules.