Shloka 94

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

Devanagari script

त्वाष्ट्रस्य निर्मितान्याशु यन्त्राणि तदनन्तरम् तेनोपलनिपातेन गतानि तिलशस्ततः //

Transliteration

tvāṣṭrasya nirmitānyāśu yantrāṇi tadanantaram tenopalanipātena gatāni tilaśastataḥ //

Translation

Then, immediately afterward, the mechanical contrivances fashioned by Tvaṣṭṛ were struck by a shower of stones; and by that hail of rocks they were shattered and scattered into fragments, like sesame seeds.

Word by Word

• त्वाष्ट्रस्य: of Tvaṣṭṛ (the divine craftsman)

• निर्मितानि: constructed/made

• आशु: quickly, at once

• यन्त्राणि: machines, devices, engineered contrivances

• तदनन्तरम्: immediately thereafter

• तेन: by that

• उपल-निपातेन: by the falling/impact of stones (hail of rocks)

• गतानि: went (i.e., were reduced/brought to a state), became

• तिलशः: into sesame-like particles, into tiny fragments

• ततः: then, thereafter

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode (likely within a Matsya–Manu discourse frame)

Entities Mentioned

• Tvaṣṭṛ

Tags

• Vastuvidya
• Yantra
• Destruction
• Craftsmanship
• Mythic Engineering

FAQs

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

It uses a destruction motif—machines smashed by a stone-fall—showing how even sophisticated creations can be rapidly reduced to fragments; it echoes the Purāṇic theme of impermanence seen in larger dissolutions, though this verse itself describes a localized ruin rather than cosmic pralaya.

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

Indirectly, it warns that reliance on mere technology without protection, dharma, and prudent governance is fragile—kings and householders must secure works (fortifications, planning, safeguards) and not assume permanence of material achievements.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The key technical term is yantra (engineered device). The verse highlights the Matsya Purana’s interest in construction/engineering vocabulary (useful for Vastuvidya reading), and frames yantras as powerful yet vulnerable to impact forces—an implicit caution about durability and protective design.