Matsya Purana — Tārakāsura’s Austerity and Boon; Mobilization for War; Bṛhaspati’s Fourfold P..., Shloka 99

Devanagari script

सेना सा देवराजस्य दुर्जया भुवनत्रये कोटयस्तास् त्रयस्त्रिंशद् देवदेवनिकायिनाम् //

Transliteration

senā sā devarājasya durjayā bhuvanatraye koṭayastās trayastriṃśad devadevanikāyinām //

Translation

ଦେବରାଜ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ସେହି ସେନା ତ୍ରିଭୁବନରେ ଦୁର୍ଜୟ ଥିଲା; ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଦେବସଭା-ନିକାୟସମ୍ବନ୍ଧୀ ତ୍ରୟସ୍ତ୍ରିଂଶତ୍ କୋଟି, ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ତେତ୍ରିଶ କୋଟି, ଦଳ ଥିଲା।

Word by Word

• सेना (senā): army/host

• सा (sā): that

• देवराजस्य (devarājasya): of the king of the gods (Indra)

• दुर्जया (durjayā): difficult to conquer/invincible

• भुवनत्रये (bhuvanatraye): in the three worlds

• कोटयः (koṭayaḥ): koṭis (crores

• ताः (tāḥ): those

• त्रयस्त्रिंशत् (trayastriṃśat): thirty-three

• देवदेवनिकायिनाम् (devadevanikāyinām): of the groups/assemblies (nikāyas) of the gods (devas).

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) describing the divine forces within the Matsya Purana’s discourse

Entities Mentioned

• Indra (Devaraja)
• Devas (Devagaṇa)
• Three Worlds (Trailokya)

Tags

• Deva-sena
• Indra
• Trailokya
• Puranic cosmology
• Divine hosts

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya directly; it emphasizes the cosmic scale and invincibility of Indra’s divine host operating across the three worlds, a common Puranic framing for cosmic order rather than dissolution.

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

By portraying Indra’s army as disciplined and unconquerable, the verse implicitly supports rajadharma ideals: a ruler should maintain organized forces and uphold order across his realm, mirroring the gods’ protection of cosmic stability.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vastu or temple-architecture rule is stated here; the primary ritual-cosmological takeaway is the notion of vast divine “assemblies” (nikāyas) and the traditional count of “thirty-three” gods, often invoked in Vedic-Puranic liturgy.