Shloka 13

Matsya Purana — War of Devas and Asuras; Birth of Aurva Fire; Countering Tamasī Māyā through ...

Devanagari script

स दैत्यप्रमुखान्हत्वा तद्दानवबलं महत् तामसेनास्त्रजालेन तमोभूतमथाकरोत् //

Transliteration

sa daityapramukhānhatvā taddānavabalaṃ mahat tāmasenāstrajālena tamobhūtamathākarot //

Translation

Having slain the foremost leaders of the Daityas, he then rendered that vast host of the Dānavas powerless—enveloping it in darkness by means of a net of tāmasa weapons.

Word by Word

• स (sa): he

• दैत्य-प्रमुखान् (daitya-pramukhān): the chief leaders of the Daityas

• हत्वा (hatvā): having slain

• तत् (tat): that

• दानव-बलम् (dānava-balam): army/force of the Dānavas

• महत् (mahat): great, vast

• तामसेन (tāmasena): by the tāmasa (darkness-born/obscuring) [power]

• अस्त्र-जालेन (astra-jālena): with a net/mesh of missiles/weapons

• तमो-भूतम् (tamo-bhūtam): turned into darkness, plunged into gloom

• अथ (atha): then

• अकरोत् (akarot): made, rendered.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrative voice describing the battle episode)

Entities Mentioned

• Daityas
• Dānavas
• Tāmasa-astras

Tags

• Daitya-Dānava War
• Astras
• Tamas
• Puranic Battles
• Vishnuic Power

FAQs

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

Directly, it does not describe cosmic Pralaya; it uses “tamas” (darkness) as a battle-effect—an obscuring, disabling force produced by tāmasa astras, echoing the Purāṇic motif that darkness can function as a weapon rather than a cosmic dissolution.

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

By implication, it models a dharmic strategy of neutralizing aggression: first removing the leaders who drive adharma, then disabling the remaining hostile force with minimal further slaughter—an ideal often extended in Purāṇic ethics to righteous governance and protection.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-ritual rule is stated in this verse; its technical focus is on astravidyā (weapon-lore), specifically the ‘tāmasa’ class of missiles that overwhelm opponents through darkness and disorientation.