Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

कपाली पिङ्गलो भीमो विरूपाक्षो विलोहितः अजेशः शासनः शास्ता शंभुश्चण्डो ध्रुवस्तथा //

Transliteration

kapālī piṅgalo bhīmo virūpākṣo vilohitaḥ ajeśaḥ śāsanaḥ śāstā śaṃbhuścaṇḍo dhruvastathā //

Translation

He is Kapālī, the bearer of the skull; Piṅgala, tawny-hued; Bhīma, the formidable; Virūpākṣa, the odd-eyed; and Vilohita, the intensely red. He is Ajeśa, lord beyond birth; Śāsana, the sovereign command; Śāstā, the divine ruler and instructor; Śambhu, the beneficent one; Caṇḍa, the fierce; and Dhruva, the steadfast and immutable.

Word by Word

• कपाली (kapālī): skull-bearer/ascetic with skull-bowl

• पिङ्गलः (piṅgalaḥ): tawny, reddish-brown, golden-hued

• भीमः (bhīmaḥ): terrible, awe-inspiring

• विरूपाक्षः (virūpākṣaḥ): one with unusual/unequal eyes, epithet of Rudra

• विलोहितः (vilohitaḥ): very red, crimson-hued

• अजेशः (ajeśaḥ): lord who is unborn/over birth, supreme

• शासनः (śāsanaḥ): the one who rules by command, sovereign ordinance

• शास्ता (śāstā): ruler, governor, chastiser, teacher

• शंभुः (śaṃbhuḥ): beneficent, auspicious giver of welfare

• चण्डः (caṇḍaḥ): fierce, vehement

• ध्रुवः (dhruvaḥ): fixed, constant, immutable

• तथा (tathā): and also/likewise.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in the Matsya Purana’s dialogue framework) presenting a litany of Shiva’s epithets

Entities Mentioned

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Virupaksha
• Shambhu

Tags

• Shiva Sahasranama
• Rudra epithets
• Iconography
• Devotional hymn
• Puranic theology

FAQs

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

By calling Shiva “Dhruva” (immutable) and “Śāsana/Śāstā” (cosmic ruler), the verse implies a deity who remains constant and governs cosmic order across cycles of creation and dissolution, though it does not narrate Pralaya directly.

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

The epithets “Śāsana” and “Śāstā” frame ideal governance: a king should uphold firm rule, discipline, and instruction rooted in dharma; a householder similarly maintains order and ethical restraint within family and ritual life.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, names like “Kapālī” and “Virūpākṣa” guide Shiva’s iconographic identification in worship and image-making (pratimā-lakṣaṇa): ascetic skull-bearing forms and distinctive eyes are markers used in temple rituals and consecration contexts.