Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

जगाम पश्चाच्चरणैर् धरणीं भूधराकृतिः लाघवात्क्षिप्रमुत्थाय ततो ऽमरमहागजः //

Transliteration

jagāma paścāccaraṇair dharaṇīṃ bhūdharākṛtiḥ lāghavātkṣipramutthāya tato 'maramahāgajaḥ //

Translation

Then the great divine elephant—mountain-like in form—lightly and swiftly rose up and moved upon the earth, stepping backward with its feet.

Word by Word

जगामwent/moved

पश्चात्-चरणैःwith backward steps/stepping back with the feet

धरणीम्upon the earth/ground

भूधर-आकृतिःhaving the form of a mountain, mountain-shaped

लाघवात्due to lightness/agility

क्षिप्रम्quickly

उत्थायhaving risen up/standing up

ततःthen/thereupon

अमर-महागजःthe great divine (immortal-associated) elephant

Speaker

Sūta (narrative voice; descriptive passage within the Purāṇic narration)

Entities Mentioned

Amara-mahāgaja (divine great elephant)Dharaṇī (Earth)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly describe pralaya; it is a vivid narrative-image highlighting supernatural agility and power—often used in Purāṇic storytelling to mark divine presence, omens, or extraordinary events.

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

Indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic ethic of attentiveness to signs and extraordinary occurrences: a king (or householder) is advised in Purāṇas to remain observant, disciplined, and responsive when unusual portents or divine interventions appear in the world.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu rule is stated; however, such “mountain-like” divine imagery is commonly leveraged in iconography and temple narration—guiding how grandeur, stability, and divine power may be poetically conveyed in ritual recitation and visual representation.