Matsya Purana — Vishnu’s Battle with the Daityas: Astra-Combat, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

चक्रेण महिषः क्रुद्धो जम्भः शक्त्या महारणे जघ्नुर्नारायणं सर्वे शेषास्तीक्ष्णैश्च मार्गणैः //

Transliteration

cakreṇa mahiṣaḥ kruddho jambhaḥ śaktyā mahāraṇe jaghnurnārāyaṇaṃ sarve śeṣāstīkṣṇaiśca mārgaṇaiḥ //

Translation

ในมหาสงครามนั้น มหิษะผู้พิโรธฟาดด้วยจักระ, ชัมภะโจมตีด้วยศักติ; ส่วนที่เหลือทั้งหมดก็ระดมยิงนารายณะด้วยศรอันคมกล้า

Word by Word

• चक्रेण (cakreṇa): with a discus

• महिषः (mahiṣaḥ): Mahiṣa (a daitya/asura named Mahiṣa)

• क्रुद्धः (kruddhaḥ): enraged

• जम्भः (jambhaḥ): Jambha (a daitya/asura named Jambha)

• शक्त्या (śaktyā): with a spear/javelin

• महारणे (mahāraṇe): in the great battle

• जघ्नुḥ/जघ्नुः (jaghnur): struck/assailed

• नारायणम् (nārāyaṇam): Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)

• सर्वे (sarve): all

• शेषाः (śeṣāḥ): the rest/remaining ones

• तीक्ष्णैः (tīkṣṇaiḥ): sharp

• च (ca): and

• मार्गणैः (mārgaṇaiḥ): with arrows/missiles.

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) recounting the battle within the Matsya Purana’s narration

Entities Mentioned

• Nārāyaṇa
• Mahiṣa
• Jambha

Tags

• Daitya battle
• Vaishnava
• Divine warfare
• Puranic narrative
• Weapons (Ayudha)

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya directly; it depicts a martial episode where daityas assault Nārāyaṇa using specific weapons, emphasizing divine conflict rather than cosmological dissolution.

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

Indirectly, it models the kṣātra ideal of confronting adversity with courage and preparedness—showing that even in overwhelming opposition, steadfastness and disciplined force (dharma-protecting power) are central themes in Purāṇic ethics.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-ritual rule is stated here; the technical focus is on āyudha (weapons)—cakra, śakti, and mārgaṇa—used in a mythic battle setting.