Shloka 187

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

Devanagari script

क्षणाल्लब्धचित्ताः स्वयं विष्णुशक्रानलाद्याः सुसंहत्य तीक्ष्णैः पृषत्कैः / प्रचक्रुः प्रचण्डेन दैत्येन सार्धं महासंगरं संगरग्रासकल्पम् //

Transliteration

kṣaṇāllabdhacittāḥ svayaṃ viṣṇuśakrānalādyāḥ susaṃhatya tīkṣṇaiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ / pracakruḥ pracaṇḍena daityena sārdhaṃ mahāsaṃgaraṃ saṃgaragrāsakalpam //

Translation

In a moment, recovering their composure, Vishnu, Indra, Agni, and the other gods, closing ranks together, launched sharp arrows and engaged the fierce Daitya in a mighty battle—one that seemed ready to swallow up the very combatants.

Word by Word

• क्षणात् (kṣaṇāt): in a moment

• लब्ध-चित्ताः (labdha-cittāḥ): having regained their presence of mind

• स्वयं (svayam): themselves, in person

• विष्णु (viṣṇu): Vishnu

• शक्र (śakra): Indra

• अनल (anala): Agni (Fire-god)

• आद्याः (ādyāḥ): and others, beginning with

• सु-संहत्य (su-saṃhatya): well-united, having formed a compact formation

• तीक्ष्णैः (tīkṣṇaiḥ): sharp, piercing

• पृषत्कैः (pṛṣatkaiḥ): with arrows (lit. darts)

• प्रचक्रुः (pracakruḥ): they set in motion / they commenced / they undertook

• प्रचण्डेन (pracaṇḍena): with the exceedingly fierce

• दैत्येन (daityena): Daitya (demon)

• सार्धम् (sārdham): together with / in confrontation with

• महा-संगरम् (mahā-saṃgaram): a great battle

• संगर-ग्रास-कल्पम् (saṃgara-grāsa-kalpam): like the devouring (swallowing) of battle, i.e., battle as an all-consuming maw

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) describing the Deva–Daitya battle within the Matsya Purana narrative frame

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Indra (Shakra)
• Agni (Anala)
• Daitya

Tags

• Deva-Daitya war
• Divine weapons
• Courage
• Cosmic order
• Puranic battle-poetics

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya directly; it uses an apocalyptic metaphor—battle as an all-devouring force—to convey cosmic-scale violence, a common Purāṇic way of showing threats to order (dharma) without narrating dissolution itself.

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

The key ethical motif is regaining composure and acting in unity against a destructive aggressor: like kings who must steady themselves after setbacks, gather allies, and protect social order; householders likewise are urged to meet crises with steadiness (dhairya) rather than panic.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is specified here; the verse is martial-narrative, highlighting coordinated formation and the use of weapons rather than temple-building or consecration rules.