Shloka 184

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

Devanagari script

विलोक्यान्तरिक्षे सहस्रार्कबिम्बं पुनर्दानवो विष्णुमुद्भूतवीर्यम् शराभ्यां जघानांसमूले सलीलं ततः केशवस्यापतच्छार्ङ्गमग्रे //

Transliteration

vilokyāntarikṣe sahasrārkabimbaṃ punardānavo viṣṇumudbhūtavīryam śarābhyāṃ jaghānāṃsamūle salīlaṃ tataḥ keśavasyāpatacchārṅgamagre //

Translation

Then the Dānava looked up into the sky and beheld (Vishnu) like the orb of a thousand suns. Again he struck Vishnu—whose prowess had surged forth—with two arrows at the root of the shoulder; and then Keśava’s bow, Śārṅga, slipped and fell forward.

Word by Word

• vilokya: having looked

• antarikṣe: in the sky/atmosphere

• sahasra-arka-bimbam: the disc/orb of a thousand suns

• punaḥ: again

• dānavaḥ: the Dānava (demon)

• viṣṇum: Vishnu

• udbhūta-vīryam: whose power/valor had arisen, fully manifested

• śarābhyām: with two arrows

• jaghāna: struck, smote

• aṃsa-mūle: at the root of the shoulder (shoulder-joint area)

• salīlam: playfully, with ease

• tataḥ: then/thereupon

• keśavasya: of Keśava (Vishnu)

• āpatat: fell down, dropped

• śārṅgam: Śārṅga (Vishnu’s bow)

• agre: in front/forward.

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the event (narrative voice within Matsya Purāṇa)

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Keśava
• Śārṅga
• Dānava

Tags

• Vishnu
• Daitya-Dānava battle
• Puranic warfare
• Divine weapons
• Heroic imagery

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya directly; it uses cosmic-scale imagery (“like a thousand suns”) to convey Vishnu’s overwhelming radiance and power within a battle narrative.

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

Indirectly, it models the Purāṇic ideal of courage and steadfastness under attack: even when a mighty opponent strikes, the righteous hero’s resolve is tested—an ethical motif often extended to kṣatriya duty in Purāṇic discourse.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is taught in this verse; the main technical point is iconographic/weapon lore—Śārṅga is identified as Vishnu’s famed bow, a detail relevant to Purāṇic symbolism and deity attributes.