Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

ततो ऽस्त्रतेजसा सर्वं व्याप्तं लोकं चराचरम् ततो बाणमयं सर्वम् आकाशं समदृश्यत //

Transliteration

tato 'stratejasā sarvaṃ vyāptaṃ lokaṃ carācaram tato bāṇamayaṃ sarvam ākāśaṃ samadṛśyata //

Translation

Then, by the blazing potency of the missile-weapons, the entire world—moving and unmoving—was pervaded; and the whole sky appeared completely filled with arrows.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then

• astra-tejasā: by the fiery energy/splendour of astras (missile-weapons)

• sarvam: all, entirely

• vyāptam: pervaded, flooded, filled

• lokam: the world

• cara-acaram: moving and non-moving beings (animate and inanimate)

• bāṇa-mayam: consisting of arrows, made of arrows

• ākāśam: the sky/space

• samadṛśyata: was seen, appeared (as).

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) recounting the episode within the Matsya Purana’s dialogue framework (Matsya-to-Manu tradition in the broader work)

Tags

• Astra
• Divine warfare
• Pralaya imagery
• Cosmic pervasion
• Puranic battle scene

FAQs

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

It uses pralaya-like language—“pervading” the whole moving and unmoving world—to convey an all-consuming force, suggesting how overwhelming divine power can resemble cosmic dissolution in its totality.

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

Indirectly, it underscores that unchecked force engulfs all realms; in Matsya Purana’s ethical lens, rulers must wield power with restraint and dharma, since violence impacts both the living and the non-living order of society.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or ritual procedure is stated; however, the imagery of space being “filled” can be read symbolically alongside ritual concepts where a field (kṣetra/ākāśa) is pervaded by energy—useful for interpretive cross-referencing, not as a literal Vastu rule.