Shloka 180

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

Devanagari script

ततः स मेघरूपी तु कालनेमिर्महासुरः शस्त्रवृष्टिं ववर्षोग्रां देवानीकेषु दुर्जयाम् //

Transliteration

tataḥ sa megharūpī tu kālanemirmahāsuraḥ śastravṛṣṭiṃ vavarṣogrāṃ devānīkeṣu durjayām //

Translation

Then Kālanemi, that mighty Asura, assuming the form of a cloud, rained down a fierce shower of weapons upon the hosts of the gods—an onslaught hard to withstand.

Word by Word

• ततः (tataḥ): then/thereupon

• स (sa): he

• मेघरूपी (megharūpī): having the form of a cloud

• तु (tu): indeed

• कालनेमिः (kālanemiḥ): Kālanemi

• महासुरः (mahāsuraḥ): great Asura/demon

• शस्त्रवृष्टिम् (śastravṛṣṭim): a rain/shower of weapons

• ववर्ष (vavarṣa): rained down/poured forth

• उग्राम् (ugrām): fierce/terrible

• देवानीकेषु (devānīkeṣu): upon the armies/companies of the gods

• दुर्जयाम् (durjayām): difficult to conquer/overcome, hard to withstand

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the battle episode

Entities Mentioned

• Kālanemi
• Devas (the gods)
• Asuras

Tags

• Devāsura-yuddha
• Kālanemi
• Mythic warfare
• Divine armies
• Weapon imagery

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya or cosmological dissolution; it focuses on a battlefield image where Kālanemi uses a cloud-like form to unleash a weapon-storm against the Devas.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic ideal of kṣātra-dharma (martial duty): leaders must remain steadfast under overwhelming assaults, just as the Deva-host must endure and respond to a seemingly unstoppable attack.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is stated here; the technical focus is poetic warfare vocabulary (megharūpī, śastravṛṣṭi) used to depict supernatural combat.