Shloka 9

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with Mathana

Devanagari script

आससाद रणे दैत्यं मथनं घोरदर्शनम् दैत्यस्त्वभिमुखं दृष्ट्वा शङ्खचक्रगदाधरम् //

Transliteration

āsasāda raṇe daityaṃ mathanaṃ ghoradarśanam daityastvabhimukhaṃ dṛṣṭvā śaṅkhacakragadādharam //

Translation

On the battlefield he confronted the Daitya named Mathana, fearsome to behold. And the Daitya, seeing him advancing face to face—bearing the conch, discus, and mace—stood ready to engage.

Word by Word

• आससाद: approached/confronted

• रणे: in battle

• दैत्यं: the Daitya (demon)

• मथनम्: Mathana (proper name)

• घोरदर्शनम्: terrifying in appearance/fearsome to behold

• दैत्यः: the Daitya

• तु: and/indeed

• अभिमुखम्: facing directly/frontally

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen

• शङ्ख: conch

• चक्र: discus

• गदा: mace

• धरम्: bearing/holding

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the combat episode

Entities Mentioned

• Daitya Mathana
• Śaṅkha
• Cakra
• Gadā

Tags

• Battle
• Vishnu iconography
• Daitya episode
• Puranic warfare
• Divine weapons

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a martial scene highlighting divine confrontation and the protective, order-restoring role associated with Vishnu’s emblematic weapons.

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

By portraying the direct confrontation of a fearsome aggressor, the verse echoes the kṣatriya ideal found across Purāṇic ethics: meeting adharma openly, protecting order, and standing firm when danger is faced head-on.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule is stated here; the key significance is iconographic—recognizing the śaṅkha, cakra, and gadā as identifying marks of Vishnu in ritual visualization and image-description traditions.