Shloka 103

Matsya Purana — War of Devas and Dānavas: Yama and Kubera Defeated; Kālanemi’s Māyā and the A...

Devanagari script

शूराणामभिजातानां भर्तर्यपसृते रणात् मर्तुं संग्रामशिरसि युक्तं तद्भूषणाग्रतः //

Transliteration

śūrāṇāmabhijātānāṃ bhartaryapasṛte raṇāt martuṃ saṃgrāmaśirasi yuktaṃ tadbhūṣaṇāgrataḥ //

Translation

For brave men of noble lineage, if their lord withdraws from the battlefield, it is fitting that they die upon the very front of the combat—before their lord’s insignia and ornaments, in his presence and for his honor.

Word by Word

• śūrāṇām: of heroes/brave warriors

• abhijātānām: of the well-born/nobly descended

• bhartari: when the lord/master/king

• apasṛte: has withdrawn/retreated

• raṇāt: from battle

• martum: to die

• saṃgrāma-śirasi: at the head/front of the battle (in the thick of combat)

• yuktam: proper/fitting/right

• tat-bhūṣaṇa-agrataḥ: before his ornaments/insignia/royal emblems (in front of the lord’s marks of honor)

Speaker

• Traditionally framed as instruction in the Matsya Purana’s Rajadharma discourse (voice of the narrator conveying dharma-teaching; commonly transmitted as Matsya/Vishnu’s instruction to Manu in the larger dialogue setting).

Tags

• Rajadharma
• Kshatriya Dharma
• Battle Ethics
• Honor
• Loyalty

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to Rajadharma and emphasizes battlefield honor and the expected conduct of noble warriors.

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

It reflects Kshatriya duty: maintaining honor, loyalty, and steadfastness in battle. Implicitly, it also critiques a leader’s retreat as a moment that tests the moral resolve and reputation of his retainers.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is stated here; the focus is ethical—martial conduct and the symbolism of royal insignia as the locus of honor.