Matsya Purana — War of Devas and Dānavas: Yama and Kubera Defeated; Kālanemi’s Māyā and the A..., Shloka 66

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा तानर्दितान्देवः शूलं जग्राह दारुणम् तेन दैत्यसहस्राणि सूदयामास सत्वरः //

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā tānarditāndevaḥ śūlaṃ jagrāha dāruṇam tena daityasahasrāṇi sūdayāmāsa satvaraḥ //

Translation

അവരെ കഠിനമായി പീഡിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടുന്നത് കണ്ട ദേവൻ ഭീകരമായ ത്രിശൂലം എടുത്തു; അതുകൊണ്ട് അവൻ വേഗത്തിൽ ആയിരക്കണക്കിന് ദൈത്യരെ വധിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen

• tān: them

• arditān: oppressed/afflicted, hard-pressed

• devaḥ: the Lord (the deity)

• śūlam: trident/spear (Śiva’s weapon)

• jagrāha: seized/took up

• dāruṇam: terrible, fierce

• tena: with that (weapon)

• daitya-sahasrāṇi: thousands of Daityas (demons)

• sūdayāmāsa: killed, destroyed

• satvaraḥ: swiftly, without delay

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the battle scene

Entities Mentioned

• Deva (the Lord, likely Śiva as wielder of the Śūla/Trishula)
• Daityas

Tags

• Deva–Daitya war
• Trishula
• Daitya-vadha
• Puranic battle narrative
• Divine intervention

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on a battlefield moment where a deity intervenes decisively by taking up the trident to destroy demonic forces.

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

Indirectly, it models the dharmic principle of protection: when the righteous are oppressed, decisive action against aggressors is warranted—an ideal mirrored in a king’s duty to protect subjects and restrain violent wrongdoers.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu/temple-architecture or ritual procedure is stated here; the technical focus is mythic iconography—specifically the śūla (trident) as a hallmark weapon of Śiva in Purāṇic tradition.