Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

चक्रं तदाकाशगतं विलोक्य सर्वात्मना दैत्यवराः स्ववीर्यैः नाशक्नुवन्वारयितुं प्रचण्डं दैवं यथा कर्म मुधा प्रपन्नम् //

Transliteration

cakraṃ tadākāśagataṃ vilokya sarvātmanā daityavarāḥ svavīryaiḥ nāśaknuvanvārayituṃ pracaṇḍaṃ daivaṃ yathā karma mudhā prapannam //

Translation

Seeing that discus moving through the sky, the foremost of the Daityas, with all their might and heroism, could not restrain that fiercely impetuous divine force—just as fate cannot be held back when one’s own karma has vainly brought it upon oneself.

Word by Word

• चक्रम् (cakram): discus, wheel (divine weapon)

• तत् (tat): that

• आकाश-गतम् (ākāśa-gatam): gone into the sky, moving in the sky

• विलोक्य (vilokya): having seen

• सर्व-आत्मना (sarvātmanā): with their whole being, with all their strength

• दैत्य-वराः (daitya-varāḥ): the best/foremost among the Daityas

• स्व-वीर्यैः (sva-vīryaiḥ): by their own prowess/valor

• न अशक्नुवन् (na aśaknuvan): they were not able

• वारयितुम् (vārayitum): to stop, restrain

• प्रचण्डम् (pracaṇḍam): exceedingly fierce, violent

• दैवम् (daivam): fate, divine dispensation

• यथा (yathā): just as

• कर्म (karma): action, deed (cause)

• मुधा (mudhā): in vain, fruitlessly

• प्रपन्नम् (prapannam): incurred, fallen upon, resorted to/come to

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) describing the scene (third-person narration within the Matsya Purana’s dialogue framework)

Entities Mentioned

• Daityas
• Cakra (Divine Discus)
• Daiva (Fate as divine dispensation)
• Karma (Action)

Tags

• Divine Intervention
• Karma and Fate
• Daitya Conflict
• Vishnu’s Weapon
• Moral Causality

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; instead, it teaches inevitability—like an unstoppable divine force—mirroring the Purāṇic idea that cosmic events (including dissolution) unfold according to higher order when causes are ripe.

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

It underscores accountability: one cannot ‘stop’ consequences once harmful karma matures. For kings and householders, the implied duty is to act righteously early—govern justly, restrain violence and arrogance—so that ruinous outcomes are not self-invited.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated explicitly; the verse is primarily ethical-philosophical, using the image of an unstoppable divine power to illustrate daiva as the fruition of karma.