Shloka 15

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with Mathana

Devanagari script

स पपाताथ दैत्येन्द्रः क्षयकाले ऽचलो यथा तस्मिन्निपतिते भूमौ दानवे वीर्यशालिनि //

Transliteration

sa papātātha daityendraḥ kṣayakāle 'calo yathā tasminnipatite bhūmau dānave vīryaśālini //

Translation

Then the lord of the Daityas fell—like a mountain collapsing at the end of time. When that mighty, valorous Dānava crashed down upon the earth, he lay struck down.

Word by Word

• स (sa): he

• पपात (papāta): fell

• अथ (atha): then

• दैत्येन्द्रः (daityendraḥ): the king/lord of the Daityas

• क्षयकाले (kṣayakāle): at the time of dissolution/end (of an age)

• अचलः (acalaḥ): a mountain/immovable one

• यथा (yathā): like/as

• तस्मिन् (tasmin): when he/that one

• निपतिते (nipatite): having fallen, having crashed down

• भूमौ (bhūmau): on the earth/ground

• दानवे (dānave): the Danava (demon/Asura)

• वीर्यशालिनि (vīryaśālini): possessed of prowess/valor, mighty

Speaker

• Narrator (Sūta/epic-style third-person narration within the Matsya Purana’s battle account)

Entities Mentioned

• Daityendra (lord of the Daityas)
• Danava

Tags

• Daitya
• Danava
• Battle
• Pralaya-simile
• Puranic warfare

FAQs

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

It uses pralaya-language as a simile—“kṣaya-kāla” (time of dissolution)—to convey the overwhelming, world-shaking force of the Daitya leader’s fall, not to describe an actual cosmic pralaya event here.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces a Purāṇic ethical theme: even the most powerful rulers (here, an Asura-king) are subject to downfall; kingship and strength are impermanent, so rule should be grounded in dharma rather than pride.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is taught in this verse; the only technical imagery is the comparison to an “acala” (mountain), employed as a poetic measure of mass and impact.