Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

तम् आयान्तं वियत्येव त्रयो दैत्या न्यवारयन् गदया जम्भदैत्यस्तु ग्रसनः पट्टिशेन तु //

Transliteration

tam āyāntaṃ viyatyeva trayo daityā nyavārayan gadayā jambhadaityastu grasanaḥ paṭṭiśena tu //

Translation

As he advanced, as though moving through the open sky, three Daityas checked him: the Daitya Jambha with a mace, and Grasana with a patṭiśa (a bladed spear or halberd).

Word by Word

• तम् (tam): him

• आयान्तम् (āyāntam): advancing/approaching

• वियति (viyati): in the sky/open space

• एव (eva): as if/indeed

• त्रयः (trayaḥ): three

• दैत्याḥ (daityāḥ): Daityas/demons

• न्यवारयन् (nyavārayan): blocked/checked/stopped

• गदया (gadayā): with a mace

• जम्भदैत्यः (jambhadaityaḥ): the Daitya named Jambha

• तु (tu): and/indeed

• ग्रसनः (grasanaḥ): (the demon) Grasana

• पट्टिशेन (paṭṭiśena): with a patṭiśa weapon (axe-spear/halberd)

• तु (tu): and/indeed

Speaker

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in third-person; likely Sūta conveying the episode)

Entities Mentioned

• Daityas
• Jambha
• Grasana

Tags

• Daitya battle
• Weapons
• Purāṇic warfare
• Mythic narrative
• Combat imagery

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya or cosmology; it is a battlefield snapshot describing Daityas intercepting an advancing warrior with specific weapons.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic ideal of kṣātra themes—courage, resistance, and the realities of armed conflict—often used to frame dharma through narrative, though no explicit royal/householder duty is stated here.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is mentioned; the technical focus is martial vocabulary (gadā, patṭiśa) within a mythic combat scene.