Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा पराङ्मुखान्देवान् मुक्तरक्तं स्ववाहनम् जग्राह शक्तिं विमलां रणे कनकभूषणाम् //

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā parāṅmukhāndevān muktaraktaṃ svavāhanam jagrāha śaktiṃ vimalāṃ raṇe kanakabhūṣaṇām //

Translation

Seeing the gods turned away (in retreat), and his own mount freed from its bloodied state, he seized in battle a spotless śakti (spear)—adorned with gold ornaments.

Word by Word

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen

• parāṅmukhān: turned away, facing away (in retreat)

• devān: the gods

• mukta-raktam: freed from blood / released from bloodshed (no longer smeared with blood)

• sva-vāhanam: his own mount/vehicle

• jagrāha: seized, took up

• śaktim: a śakti weapon (spear/javelin)

• vimalām: stainless, pure, spotless

• raṇe: in battle

• kanaka-bhūṣaṇām: ornamented with gold, having golden adornments

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the battle scene (within Matsya Purana’s running narration)

Entities Mentioned

• Devas
• Vāhana (mount/vehicle)
• Śakti (spear weapon)

Tags

• Deva-Asura war
• Weapons
• Battle narrative
• Puranic warfare
• Iconic armaments

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya directly; it depicts a battlefield moment where the gods retreat and a combatant takes up a śakti spear, emphasizing martial response rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

By portraying retreating allies and the immediate taking up of a decisive weapon, it aligns with the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness and timely action in crisis—an ethical motif the Matsya Purana often applies to rulers facing disorder.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated; the closest technical relevance is iconographic—“śakti” (spear) and “golden ornaments” function as descriptive attributes useful when identifying deity/warrior forms in Puranic visual tradition.