Shloka 18

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with the Daityas: Astra-Combat

Devanagari script

तामप्राप्तां निमिर्बाणैश् चिछेद तिलशो रणे तां नाशमागतां दृष्ट्वा हीनाग्रे प्रार्थनामिव //

Transliteration

tāmaprāptāṃ nimirbāṇaiś cicheda tilaśo raṇe tāṃ nāśamāgatāṃ dṛṣṭvā hīnāgre prārthanāmiva //

Translation

When she came within his reach, Nimi, in battle, cut her to pieces with his arrows. Seeing her brought to ruin, she became like a prayer whose beginning has been cut off—left incomplete and powerless.

Word by Word

• tām: her/that (woman/figure)

• aprāptām: having come near, within reach

• nimiḥ: King Nimi

• bāṇaiḥ: with arrows

• cicheda: cut, severed

• tilaśaḥ: into tiny pieces, bit by bit (like sesame-grains)

• raṇe: in battle

• tām: her/that

• nāśam-āgatām: having met destruction, brought to ruin

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen

• hīna-agre: with the beginning missing, deprived of the opening

• prārthanām: a prayer/supplication

• iva: like, as if

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the episode within the Matsya Purana’s dynastic narration

Entities Mentioned

• Nimi

Tags

• Dynasties
• Royal conflict
• Kshatriya dharma
• Battle narrative
• Solar lineage

FAQs

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

This verse is not about cosmic Pralaya; it uses “destruction” in a local, immediate sense—ruin in battle—employing a simile to show how completely the opponent’s power collapses.

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

It reflects the Kshatriya frame of the dynastic sections: a king (here Nimi) acts decisively in warfare when an adversary is within reach, emphasizing resolve and tactical effectiveness as part of royal duty in conflict.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is taught here; the only ritual-related imagery is metaphorical—comparing a ruined opponent to an incomplete prayer (prārthanā) that cannot properly function.