Matsya Purana — War of Devas and Dānavas: Yama and Kubera Defeated; Kālanemi’s Māyā and the A..., Shloka 194

Devanagari script

जग्राह चक्रमष्टारं तैलधौतं रणान्तकम् तेन चक्रेण सो ऽश्विभ्यां चिछेद रथकूबरम् //

Transliteration

jagrāha cakramaṣṭāraṃ tailadhautaṃ raṇāntakam tena cakreṇa so 'śvibhyāṃ cicheda rathakūbaram //

Translation

เขาคว้าจักรแปดก้านที่ขัดด้วยน้ำมัน อันเป็นมฤตยูแห่งสนามรบ; แล้วใช้จักรนั้นตัดเสาแอกของรถศึกขาด พร้อมทั้งม้าคู่ที่เทียมอยู่ด้วย।

Word by Word

• जग्राह: seized/took up

• चक्रम्: discus (wheel-weapon)

• अष्टारम् (अष्टारम्/अष्टार): eight-spoked/eight-edged (epithet of the cakra)

• तैलधौतं: oil-polished/oil-cleaned

• रणान्तकम्: battle-ending, destructive in war

• तेन: with that

• चक्रेण: by the discus

• सः: he

• अश्विभ्याम्: with the two horses/along with the pair of horses

• चिछेद (ciccheda): cut, severed

• रथकूबरम्: the chariot’s yoke-pole/drawbar (kūbara).

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing a warrior’s exploit within the battle episode

Entities Mentioned

• Cakra (discus weapon)
• Aśvau (pair of horses)
• Ratha (chariot)
• Kūbara (chariot yoke-pole)

Tags

• Yuddha
• Astras
• Ratha-yuddha
• Heroic narrative
• Royal chronicles

FAQs

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

Nothing directly—this śloka is a battlefield vignette focused on weaponry and chariot-combat, not cosmology or pralaya.

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

It reflects the kṣatriya ideal of decisive martial skill in protecting sovereignty; the emphasis is on prowess in ratha-yuddha rather than domestic or ritual duties.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or ritual procedure is taught here; the only technical detail is mechanical—identifying the ratha’s kūbara (yoke-pole) and the use of the cakra as a war-weapon.