Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

वित्रेसुर्दुद्रुवुर्जग्मुर् निपेतुश्च सहस्रशः दृष्ट्वा कपालिनो रूपं गजचर्माम्बरावृतम् //

Transliteration

vitresurdudruvurjagmur nipetuśca sahasraśaḥ dṛṣṭvā kapālino rūpaṃ gajacarmāmbarāvṛtam //

Translation

Terrified, they fled and ran in all directions, and by the thousands they fell down, on seeing the form of the Skull-bearing Lord—clad in an elephant-hide garment.

Word by Word

• वित्रेसुः (vitrēsuḥ): became frightened/terrified

• दुद्रुवुः (dudruvuḥ): ran away

• जग्मुः (jagmuḥ): went (away) / scattered

• निपेतुः (nipetuḥ): fell down

• च (ca): and

• सहस्रशः (sahasraśaḥ): by the thousands/in multitudes

• दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā): having seen

• कपालिनः (kapālinaḥ): of Kapālin (the skull-bearing one, Rudra/Śiva)

• रूपम् (rūpaṃ): form/appearance

• गजचर्म (gajacarma): elephant-hide

• अम्बर (ambara): garment/covering

• आवृतम् (āvṛtam): covered/clad/encircled.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode (within the Matsya Purāṇa’s dialogue framework)

Entities Mentioned

• Kapālin (Rudra/Śiva)
• Gajacarma (elephant-hide garment)

Tags

• Iconography
• Rudra
• Śaiva imagery
• Fear/terror motif
• Mythic narrative

FAQs

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

This verse is not a Pralaya (cosmic dissolution) statement; it highlights a fearsome divine manifestation whose appearance causes beings to scatter and collapse, emphasizing overwhelming theophany rather than cosmology.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces the Purāṇic ethic of humility before divine power: rulers and householders are reminded that worldly strength collapses in the face of dharma-backed divine authority, encouraging restraint, reverence, and right conduct.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The verse contributes to iconographic understanding: Kapālin’s ‘elephant-hide garment’ is a recognizable Śaiva attribute used in ritual visualization and image-description traditions, informing how such forms may be conceived in worship or depicted in sacred art.