Shloka 30

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with Mathana

Devanagari script

शरैस्त्रिभिस्तस्य भुजं बिभेद षड्भिश्च शीर्षं दशभिश्च केतुम् विष्णुर्विकृष्टैः श्रवणावसानं दैत्यस्य विव्याध विवृत्तनेत्रः //

Transliteration

śaraistribhistasya bhujaṃ bibheda ṣaḍbhiśca śīrṣaṃ daśabhiśca ketum viṣṇurvikṛṣṭaiḥ śravaṇāvasānaṃ daityasya vivyādha vivṛttanetraḥ //

Translation

With three arrows he split the demon’s arm; with six he struck his head; with ten he shattered his banner. Then Viṣṇu, drawing his bow to the full, pierced the Daitya up to the end of his ear, as the demon’s eyes rolled wide in shock.

Word by Word

• शरैः (śaraiḥ): with arrows

• त्रिभिः (tribhiḥ): with three

• तस्य (tasya): of him/that (demon)

• भुजम् (bhujaṃ): arm

• बिभेद (bibheda): split, pierced through

• षड्भिः (ṣaḍbhiḥ): with six

• च (ca): and

• शीर्षम् (śīrṣaṃ): head

• दशभिः (daśabhiḥ): with ten

• च (ca): and

• केतुम् (ketum): banner, standard

• विष्णुः (viṣṇuḥ): Vishnu

• विकृष्टैः (vikṛṣṭaiḥ): fully drawn (arrows/bow), powerfully pulled back

• श्रवण-अवसानम् (śravaṇa-avasānam): up to the end of the ear (ear’s limit)

• दैत्यस्य (daityasya): of the Daitya/demon

• विव्याध (vivyādha): pierced, transfixed

• विवृत्त-नेत्रः (vivṛtta-netraḥ): with eyes wide/rolled open (in terror or amazement)

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the battle (third-person epic narration within Matsya Purana)

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Daitya

Tags

• Daitya-vadha
• Vishnu
• Puranic battle
• Divine valor
• Archery imagery

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it depicts Vishnu’s martial protection of cosmic order by defeating a Daitya—an action that, in Puranic theology, preserves the world from chaos rather than dissolving it.

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

The verse models the kṣatriya ideal of decisive action against adharma: a king is expected to protect society by restraining violent forces, just as Vishnu disables the demon’s limbs, leadership-symbol (banner), and capacity to harm.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu or ritual procedure is directly taught here; the only technical motif is the battle-symbol “ketu” (banner/standard), commonly used in Purāṇic literature as a sign of sovereignty and morale.