Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Names Across Yugas and the Gods’ Refuge During the Tārakāmaya War

Devanagari script

तान्घनौघान्स तिमिरान् दोर्भ्यामाक्षिप्य स प्रभुः वपुः संदर्शयामास दिव्यं कृष्णवपुर्हरिः //

Transliteration

tānghanaughānsa timirān dorbhyāmākṣipya sa prabhuḥ vapuḥ saṃdarśayāmāsa divyaṃ kṛṣṇavapurhariḥ //

Translation

Casting aside those dense masses of darkness with His two arms, that Lord—Hari, of dark-hued body—then revealed His radiant, divine form.

Word by Word

• tān: those

• ghanaughān: thick clusters/masses (of clouds)

• timirān: darkness/gloom

• dorbhyām: with (His) two arms

• ākṣipya: having thrown aside/warded off

• saḥ: He

• prabhuḥ: the Lord/master

• vapuḥ: form/body

• saṃdarśayāmāsa: caused to be seen/revealed/showed

• divyam: divine, celestial

• kṛṣṇa-vapuḥ: dark-bodied, of कृष्ण hue

• hariḥ: Hari (Vishnu)

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing Hari/Vishnu’s manifestation within the Pralaya-related narrative

Entities Mentioned

• Hari (Vishnu)

Tags

• Pralaya
• Theophany
• Vishnu
• Divine Form
• Darkness Dispelling

FAQs

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

It presents a Pralaya-style motif where oppressive darkness (tamas) is removed by the Lord, signaling restoration of cosmic order and the reappearance of divine light/vision.

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

By analogy, it frames dharma as the act of removing “darkness” (confusion, injustice, fear) and making what is divine/true visible—an ideal for rulers and householders who must protect, clarify, and uphold order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated; indirectly, it supports the ritual-visual principle of darśana—creating conditions (light, clarity, unobstructed sight) for beholding the deity in worship and temple settings.