Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — The Slaying of Tāraka: Skanda’s Śakti and the Victory of the Devas

Devanagari script

जघ्ने कुमारं गदया निष्टप्तकनकाङ्गदः शरैर्मयूरपत्रैश्च चकार विमुखान्सुरान् //

Transliteration

jaghne kumāraṃ gadayā niṣṭaptakanakāṅgadaḥ śarairmayūrapatraiśca cakāra vimukhānsurān //

Translation

Wearing armlets of heated gold, he struck down Kumāra with a mace; and with arrows—feathered like peacock plumes—he made the gods turn back in retreat.

Word by Word

• jaghne: struck/slain

• kumāram: Kumāra (the youthful warrior, commonly Skanda/Kārttikeya)

• gadayā: with a mace

• niṣṭapta: heated/fiery-glowing

• kanaka: gold

• aṅgadaḥ: (one) having armlets/arm-ornaments

• śaraiḥ: with arrows

• mayūra-patraiḥ: with peacock-feathered (plumed) [shafts]

• ca: and

• cakāra: made/caused

• vimukhān: turned away, facing backward, retreating

• surān: the gods (devas).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the battlefield action (third-person narrative within the Purāṇic dialogue frame).

Entities Mentioned

• Kumāra (Skanda/Kārttikeya)
• Surāḥ (Devas)

Tags

• Battle
• Deva-Asura conflict
• Martial imagery
• Purāṇic narrative
• Weapons

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya or cosmology; it is a battlefield description highlighting martial prowess and the retreat of the devas.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic ideal of kṣātra-vīrya (martial strength) and decisive action in conflict—qualities often invoked when describing a ruler’s duty to protect and repel threats.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is stated here; the focus is on weapons (mace and arrows) and the dramatic imagery of peacock-feathered shafts.