Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with the Daityas: Astra-Combat, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

यावन्न संध्या न दशां प्रयान्ति दैत्येश्वराश्चास्त्रनिवारणाय तावत्क्षणेनैव जघान कोटीर् दैत्येश्वराणां सगजान्सहाश्वान् //

Transliteration

yāvanna saṃdhyā na daśāṃ prayānti daityeśvarāścāstranivāraṇāya tāvatkṣaṇenaiva jaghāna koṭīr daityeśvarāṇāṃ sagajānsahāśvān //

Translation

சாயங்காலம் இன்னும் வராதிருக்க, தைத்ய அரசர்கள் அஸ்திரங்களைத் தடுக்கத் தயாராகிக் கொண்டிருந்த வேளையில், அதே கணத்தில் அவன் தைத்ய மன்னர்களின் கோடிகளை—யானைகளும் குதிரைகளும் உடன்—வீழ்த்தினான்.

Word by Word

• yāvat: as long as

• na: not

• sandhyā: twilight (junction of day and night)

• daśām: state/condition

• prayānti: reach/arrive at

• daitya-īśvarāḥ: lords of the Daityas (demon-kings)

• ca: and

• astra-nivāraṇāya: for the repelling/warding off of missiles/weapons

• tāvat: then/so much/that long

• kṣaṇena eva: in that very moment

• jaghāna: struck down/killed

• koṭīḥ: crores (vast multitudes)

• daitya-īśvarāṇām: of the Daitya lords

• sa-gajān: along with elephants

• saha-aśvān: together with horses

Speaker

• Suta (Purana narrator) describing the battle scene (narrative voice; exact interlocutors not explicit in this single verse)

Entities Mentioned

• Daityas
• Daitya-lords (Daityeśvaras)
• Sandhyā (twilight)

Tags

• Daitya battle
• Martial prowess
• Puranic warfare
• Astra-nivāraṇa
• Twilight (Sandhyā)

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya or cosmology; it depicts a rapid battlefield slaughter occurring before twilight, emphasizing martial speed and overwhelming force rather than dissolution doctrine.

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

Indirectly, it reflects the kṣātra (royal/warrior) ideal of decisive action and protection through strength—showing how swiftly a threat may be neutralized before it can organize defenses.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu, temple-building, or ritual procedure is mentioned; the only technical term is astra-nivāraṇa (repelling weapons), which belongs to martial vocabulary rather than architecture.