Shloka 98

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

Devanagari script

ततो ज्वालाकुलं व्योम चकारास्त्रं समन्ततः ततः क्रमेण दुर्वारं नानारूपं तदाभवत् //

Transliteration

tato jvālākulaṃ vyoma cakārāstraṃ samantataḥ tataḥ krameṇa durvāraṃ nānārūpaṃ tadābhavat //

Translation

Then that weapon, on every side, made the sky a mass of flames; thereafter, step by step, it became irresistible, assuming many terrifying forms.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereupon

• jvālā-ākulam: filled with flames, crowded with blazing tongues of fire

• vyoma: the sky/firmament

• cakāra: made/caused

• astram: weapon, missile (astra)

• samantataḥ: on all sides, everywhere

• tataḥ: then

• krameṇa: gradually, in stages

• durvāram: impossible to check, irresistible

• nānā-rūpam: of many forms, manifold in appearance

• tadā: then/at that time

• abhavat: became, came to be

Speaker

• Suta Goswami (narrating the Matsya Purana’s account of a catastrophic, flame-filled astric manifestation)

Entities Mentioned

• Astra (divine weapon)

Tags

• Pralaya
• DivineWeapon
• CosmicFire
• PuranicNarrative
• Dharma

FAQs

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

It uses pralaya-like imagery—sky engulfed in flames—to depict an overwhelming, unstoppable force, echoing the Purana’s theme that cosmic dissolution unfolds progressively and becomes impossible to restrain.

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

By portraying an “irresistible” force that expands in stages, the verse implicitly reinforces a key Puranic ethic: rulers and householders must act early and wisely—once destructive processes (conflict, adharma, calamity) fully mature, they become far harder to contain.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vastu or temple-rule instruction appears here; the main ritual takeaway is the Purana’s emphasis on the potency of astras/mantras—once properly “set in motion,” their effects are pictured as pervasive and multi-form, requiring disciplined restraint and correct ritual handling.