Shloka 102

Matsya Purana — Yadu Lineage

Devanagari script

ततः समीक्ष्य विष्णुस्तां स्त्रीवधे कृच्छ्रम् आस्थितः अभिध्याय ततश्चक्रम् आपदुद्धरणे तु तत् //

Transliteration

tataḥ samīkṣya viṣṇustāṃ strīvadhe kṛcchram āsthitaḥ abhidhyāya tataścakram āpaduddharaṇe tu tat //

Translation

Then, having looked upon her, Viṣṇu found Himself in grave difficulty about the killing of a woman; so, after deliberate reflection, He set in motion that discus for the very purpose of delivering (all) from impending calamity.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then

• samīkṣya: having examined/seen

• viṣṇuḥ: Lord Viṣṇu

• tāṃ: her

• strī-vadhe: in the matter of killing a woman

• kṛcchram: distress, grave difficulty, moral dilemma

• āsthitaḥ: having entered upon/being placed in

• abhidhyāya: having meditated/reflected

• tataḥ: then

• cakram: the discus (Sudarśana)

• āpad-uddharaṇe: for rescuing from danger/calamity

• tu: indeed/for emphasis

• tat: that (discus/action).

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) describing Lord Vishnu’s action

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Sudarshana Chakra

Tags

• Dharma
• Divine intervention
• Ethics of violence
• Protection
• Crisis

FAQs

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

This verse is not directly about pralaya; it highlights a crisis-response motif—Viṣṇu intervenes to remove an “āpad” (calamity), a theme that also underlies Purāṇic preservation during cosmic or societal upheavals.

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

It frames dharma as requiring discernment: even powerful agents must hesitate at adharma such as strī-vadha, and only act—after reflection—when the aim is protection from a larger danger; similarly, rulers and householders should weigh harm carefully and prioritize safeguarding society.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-building rule appears here; the ritual takeaway is theological—Sudarśana (the discus) functions as a protective instrument employed to remove “āpad” (danger) after deliberate contemplation.