Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

बभौ कृष्णच्छविर् दैत्यः शरदीवामलं सरः प्रोत्फुल्लारुणनीलाब्जसंघातः सर्वतोदिशम् //

Transliteration

babhau kṛṣṇacchavir daityaḥ śaradīvāmalaṃ saraḥ protphullāruṇanīlābjasaṃghātaḥ sarvatodiśam //

Translation

The Daitya, dark-hued in complexion, shone forth like a spotless lake in autumn—everywhere adorned with clusters of fully blossomed red and blue lotuses in all directions.

Word by Word

• बभौ: shone, appeared splendid

• कृष्णच्छविः: of dark complexion, black-hued

• दैत्यः: a Daitya (demon of the Diti-line)

• शरदि-इव: like (in) autumn

• अमलम्: spotless, clear, pure

• सरः: lake, pond

• प्रोत्फुल्ल: fully blossomed, expanded

• अरुण: red, ruddy

• नील: blue, dark-blue

• अब्ज: lotus (water-born)

• संघातः: mass, cluster, assemblage

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere

• दिशम्: in (all) directions

Speaker

• Suta (narrative description within the Matsya Purana’s iconography section; not a direct Matsya–Manu dialogue in this verse)

Entities Mentioned

• Daitya

Tags

• Iconography
• Pratima Lakshana
• Visual Description
• Temple Art
• Auspicious Marks

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it uses an autumn-lake simile to convey luminous beauty and visual auspiciousness in an iconographic/narrative description.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purana’s broader ideal of cultivating discernment for auspicious forms and qualities—useful for kings/patrons when commissioning temple images and public religious works.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The lotus-cluster imagery functions as an iconographic aesthetic cue—suggesting balanced, auspicious visual composition (color, radiance, symmetry) valued when designing/assessing temple icons and ritual display.