Shloka 197

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

Devanagari script

लब्धसंज्ञः क्षणाद्विष्णुश् चक्रं जग्राह दुर्धरम् दानवेन्द्रवसासिक्तं पिशिताशनकोन्मुखम् //

Transliteration

labdhasaṃjñaḥ kṣaṇādviṣṇuś cakraṃ jagrāha durdharam dānavendravasāsiktaṃ piśitāśanakonmukham //

Translation

Regaining consciousness, Viṣṇu in an instant seized that irresistible discus—smeared with the fat of the lord of the Dānavas, poised to devour flesh.

Word by Word

• लब्ध-संज्ञः (labdha-saṃjñaḥ): having regained awareness/consciousness

• क्षणात् (kṣaṇāt): in an instant

• विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ): Lord Viṣṇu

• चक्रम् (cakram): the discus (Sudarśana)

• जग्राह (jagrāha): seized/took up

• दुर्धरम् (durdharam): hard to bear/resist, irresistible

• दानव-इन्द्र (dānava-indra): lord of the Dānavas (demon-king)

• वसा-आसिक्तम् (vasā-āsiktam): smeared/anointed with fat

• पिशित-आशन (piśita-āśana): flesh-eater, devourer of flesh

• उन्मुखम् (unmukham): turned toward/ready, poised.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode (probable narrative voice of the Purāṇa)

Entities Mentioned

• Viṣṇu
• Cakra (Sudarśana)
• Dānava-indra (Demon-king)

Tags

• Viṣṇu
• Sudarśana Chakra
• Daitya-Dānava battle
• Puranic warfare
• Divine weapon iconography

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it emphasizes divine intervention in a battle context—Viṣṇu swiftly taking up the chakra to subdue adharma rather than describing cosmic dissolution.

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

By portraying Viṣṇu’s immediate readiness to wield rightful force against destructive powers, the verse indirectly supports the rajadharma principle that protection of subjects and restraint of हिंसा (violence) through just action is a duty when adharma threatens social order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated; the ritual/iconographic takeaway is the chakra’s characterization as an irresistible divine weapon (Sudarśana) associated with Viṣṇu’s protective function—useful for identifying attributes in pratima-lakṣaṇa (iconography).