Matsya Purana — Description of the Daitya–Dānava War Preparations and Maya’s Divine Chariots, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अभवद्दैत्यसैन्यस्य मध्ये रविरिवोदितः लम्बस्तु नवमेघाभः प्रलम्बाम्बरभूषणः //

Transliteration

abhavaddaityasainyasya madhye ravirivoditaḥ lambastu navameghābhaḥ pralambāmbarabhūṣaṇaḥ //

Translation

दैत्यसैन्यमध्ये लम्बो रविरिवोदितः; स तु नवमेघाभः, प्रलम्बाम्बरभूषणः।

Word by Word

• अभवत् (abhavat): became/appeared

• दैत्य-सैन्यस्य (daitya-sainyasya): of the Daitya army

• मध्ये (madhye): in the middle/among

• रविः (raviḥ): the sun

• इव (iva): like

• उदितः (uditaḥ): risen/arisen

• लम्बः (lambaḥ): Lamba (proper name)

• तु (tu): indeed/and

• नव-मेघ-आभः (nava-meghābhaḥ): having the luster/color of a new cloud

• प्रलम्ब-अम्बर-भूषणः (pralamba-ambara-bhūṣaṇaḥ): adorned with long garments and ornaments (lit. long-cloth/attire-ornamented).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) describing the battlefield episode

Entities Mentioned

• Lamba
• Daityas

Tags

• Daitya-war
• Battlefield-description
• Epic-simile
• Iconography-style-portrait

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe cosmic creation or Pralaya; it uses a poetic comparison—“like the rising sun”—to emphasize Lamba’s sudden prominence amid the Daitya forces.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the Purāṇic ethic of leadership in crisis: a formidable champion “rises” among his ranks, suggesting the ideal of visible courage and morale-building presence in battle (a king’s kṣātra duty).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is taught here; the only technical element is descriptive “lakṣaṇa”-style imagery (color, attire, ornaments) used for vivid characterization.