Shloka 28

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with Mathana

Devanagari script

विष्णुश्च दैत्येन्द्रशराहतो ऽपि भुशुण्डिमादाय कृतान्ततुल्याम् तया भुशुण्ड्या च पिपेष मेषं शुम्भस्य पत्त्रं धरणीधराभम् //

Transliteration

viṣṇuśca daityendraśarāhato 'pi bhuśuṇḍimādāya kṛtāntatulyām tayā bhuśuṇḍyā ca pipeṣa meṣaṃ śumbhasya pattraṃ dharaṇīdharābham //

Translation

Even though Viṣṇu was struck by the demon-king’s arrows, he seized a bhuśuṇḍī (a heavy mace) like Death itself, and with it he crushed Śumbha’s ram-bannered standard, mountain-like in its bulk.

Word by Word

• विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ): Vishnu

• च (ca): and

• दैत्येन्द्र-शर-आहतः (daityendra-śara-āhataḥ): struck/wounded by the demon-lord’s arrows

• अपि (api): even though

• भुशुण्डिम् (bhuśuṇḍim): a bhuśuṇḍī, heavy club/mace

• आदाय (ādāya): taking up, seizing

• कृतान्त-तुल्याम् (kṛtānta-tulyām): comparable to Kṛtānta (Death), death-like

• तया (tayā): with that

• भुशुण्ड्या (bhuśuṇḍyā): by the bhuśuṇḍī

• च (ca): and

• पिपेष (pipeṣa): crushed, smashed to pieces

• मेषम् (meṣam): ram (ram-emblem/ram-banner)

• शुम्भस्य (śumbhasya): of Shumbha

• पत्त्रम्/पताकाम् (pattram/patākām—sense): banner/standard/ensign

• धरणीधर-आभम् (dharaṇīdhara-ābham): mountain-like, resembling a mountain (lit. ‘earth-bearer’).

Speaker

• Suta (Purana narrator) describing the battle (narrative voice)

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Daityendra (demon-king)
• Shumbha
• Bhuśuṇḍī (weapon)
• Kṛtānta (Death)

Tags

• Devi-Mahatmya
• Battle narrative
• Puranic warfare
• Iconography (banner/emblems)
• Daityas

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a battlefield description emphasizing divine force overcoming demonic power through a death-like weapon strike.

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

Indirectly, it reinforces the Purāṇic ethic that protecting dharma requires courage and steadfastness even when wounded—an ideal extended to righteous kingship and disciplined household responsibility.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is taught here; the closest ‘technical’ element is iconographic—identifying Shumbha’s ensign as ram-marked and described as mountain-like, useful for understanding Purāṇic battle symbolism.