Shloka 26

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with Mathana

Devanagari script

निर्मथ्य पाणिना पाणिं धनुरादाय भैरवम् सज्यं चकार स धनुः शरांश्चाशीविषोपमान् //

Transliteration

nirmathya pāṇinā pāṇiṃ dhanurādāya bhairavam sajyaṃ cakāra sa dhanuḥ śarāṃścāśīviṣopamān //

Translation

Clenching one hand with the other, he took up the dreadful Bhairava-bow, strung it, and readied arrows comparable to venomous serpents.

Word by Word

• निर्मथ्य: gripping tightly/pressing hard

• पाणिना: with the hand

• पाणिम्: the hand

• धनुः: bow

• आदाय: having taken up

• भैरवम्: terrifying/dreadful (Bhairava-like)

• सज्यम्: strung (with the bowstring)

• चकार: he made/did

• सः: he

• धनुः: the bow

• शरान्: arrows

• च: and

• आशीविष-उपमान्: comparable to poisonous serpents

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) / Purāṇic narrator (describing the scene)

Entities Mentioned

• Bhairava

Tags

• Weapons
• Battle
• Royal valor
• Purāṇic narrative
• Dharma-yuddha

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it uses martial imagery—stringing a fearsome bow and serpent-like arrows—to depict readiness for conflict.

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

It aligns with kṣatriya-dharma: disciplined preparation and resolve in confronting threats, symbolized by taking up weapons with controlled strength.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No explicit Vāstu or temple-ritual rule appears here; the key takeaway is the Purāṇic convention of describing weapons with sacred-terror imagery (e.g., “Bhairava,” “poisonous serpent”).