Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

अनन्तरं शान्तमभूत्तदस्त्रं दैत्यास्त्रयोगेण तु कालदण्डम् शान्तं तदालोक्य हरिः स्वशस्त्रं स्वविक्रमे मन्युपरीतमूर्तिः //

Transliteration

anantaraṃ śāntamabhūttadastraṃ daityāstrayogeṇa tu kāladaṇḍam śāntaṃ tadālokya hariḥ svaśastraṃ svavikrame manyuparītamūrtiḥ //

Translation

Thereafter that missile—terrible as the Rod of Time—was quelled by the demons’ counter-weapon. Seeing it pacified, Hari, his form enveloped in wrath at his own prowess, took up his own weapon.

Word by Word

• anantaram: thereafter/next

• śāntam: pacified/quelled

• abhūt: became/was

• tad: that

• astram: missile/weapon

• daitya: demon (Daitya)

• astra-yogena: by the employment/combination/application of a weapon

• tu: indeed/but

• kāla-daṇḍam: the rod/punishing staff of Time (a metaphor for death-like force)

• śāntam: pacified

• tat: that

• ālokya: having seen/observing

• hariḥ: Hari (Vishnu)

• sva-śastram: his own weapon

• sva-vikrame: in/at (the sight of) his own valor/heroic power

• manyu-parīta-mūrtiḥ: whose form was surrounded/overcome by wrath.

Speaker

• Suta (Purana narrator) describing the battle scene (third-person narration about Hari/Vishnu)

Entities Mentioned

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Daityas (demons)
• Kāla (Time/Death, as metaphor)

Tags

• Divine weapons
• Astra-counterastra
• Daitya battle
• Vishnu
• Puranic warfare

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; instead it uses the image of “Kāla-daṇḍa” (Time’s rod) to convey a death-like, cosmic force within a battle context.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the dharmic ideal of measured power: even overwhelming force (likened to Time’s punishment) can be restrained, implying that authority and weapons must be governed by control and discernment.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu or ritual procedure is stated in this verse; its focus is on astra-vidya (weapon lore) and the theme of pacifying destructive forces through proper counter-measures.