Shloka 22

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with Mathana

Devanagari script

स तैर्बाणैरभिहतो महिषो ऽचलसंनिभः परिवर्तितकायो ऽधः पपात न ममार च //

Transliteration

sa tairbāṇairabhihato mahiṣo 'calasaṃnibhaḥ parivartitakāyo 'dhaḥ papāta na mamāra ca //

Translation

Struck by those arrows, the buffalo—vast as a mountain—rolled over and fell down; yet he did not die.

Word by Word

• स (sa): he

• तैः (taiḥ): by those

• बाणैः (bāṇaiḥ): arrows

• अभिहतः (abhihataḥ): struck, wounded

• महिषः (mahiṣaḥ): buffalo (buffalo-like being/demon)

• अचल-संनिभः (acala-saṃnibhaḥ): resembling a mountain, immovable-like

• परिवर्तित-कायः (parivartita-kāyaḥ): having turned/rolled his body

• अधः (adhaḥ): downward, to the ground

• पपात (papāta): fell

• न (na): not

• ममार (mamāra): died

• च (ca): and

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) or the Purāṇic narrator describing the battle (speaker not explicitly marked in the provided single verse).

Entities Mentioned

• Mahiṣa (buffalo-form being)

Tags

• Battle
• Daitya-Asura lore
• Heroic narrative
• Weapons (Bāṇa)
• Puranic episode

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it is a combat-description verse emphasizing the opponent’s immense size and surprising survival despite being struck by arrows.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic ideal of courage and perseverance in conflict—qualities expected of a ruler or protector—though no explicit rājadharma or gṛhastha-duty instruction appears in this line.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

None is stated here; the vocabulary is martial (bāṇa, falling, not dying) rather than Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure.