Matsya Purana — Chapter 160
MtP 160.1
श्रुत्वैतत्तारकः सर्वम् उद्घुष्टं देवबन्दिभिः सस्मार ब्रह्मणो वाक्यं वधं बालादुपस्थितम्
śrutvaitattārakaḥ sarvam udghuṣṭaṃ devabandibhiḥ sasmāra brahmaṇo vākyaṃ vadhaṃ bālādupasthitam
Hearing all this proclaimed by the bards of the gods, Tāraka recalled Brahmā's word: that death was at hand from a boy.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.2
स्मृत्वा घर्मार्द्रसर्वाङ्गः पदातिरपदानुगः मन्दिरान्निर्जगामाशु शोकग्रस्तेन चेतसा
smṛtvā gharmārdrasarvāṅgaḥ padātirapadānugaḥ mandirānnirjagāmāśu śokagrastena cetasā
Remembering (it), all his limbs wet with sweat, on foot and with no follower at his heel, he swiftly went out from his palace with a mind seized by grief.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.3
कालनेमिमुखा दैत्याः संरम्भाद्भ्रान्तचेतसः स्वे स्वे स्वनीकेषु तदा त्वराविस्मितचेतसः योधा धावत गृहीत योजयध्वं वरूथिनीम्
kālanemimukhā daityāḥ saṃrambhādbhrāntacetasaḥ sve sve svanīkeṣu tadā tvarāvismitacetasaḥ yodhā dhāvata gṛhīta yojayadhvaṃ varūthinīm
The Daityas headed by Kālanemi, their minds whirling with fury, then each in his own division, their minds bewildered by haste: "Warriors, run, take up (arms), array the host!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
MtP 160.4
कुमारं तारको दृष्ट्वा बभाषे भीषणाकृतिः किं बाल योद्धुकामो ऽसि क्रीड कन्दुकलीलया
kumāraṃ tārako dṛṣṭvā babhāṣe bhīṣaṇākṛtiḥ kiṃ bāla yoddhukāmo 'si krīḍa kandukalīlayā
Seeing the boy, Tāraka, of terrifying form, said: "Why, child, do you wish to fight? Go play at the game of ball!
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.5
त्वया न दानवा दृष्टा यत्सङ्गरविभीषकाः बालत्वादथ ते बुद्धिर् एवं स्वल्पार्थदर्शिनी
tvayā na dānavā dṛṣṭā yatsaṅgaravibhīṣakāḥ bālatvādatha te buddhir evaṃ svalpārthadarśinī
You have not seen the Dānavas, who are terrifying in battle; and so, because of your childhood, your understanding sees so little of the matter.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.6
कुमारो ऽपि तमग्रस्थं बभाषे हर्षयन्सुरान् शृणु तारक शास्त्रार्थस् तव चैव निरूप्यते
kumāro 'pi tamagrasthaṃ babhāṣe harṣayansurān śṛṇu tāraka śāstrārthas tava caiva nirūpyate
And the boy said to him who stood before him, gladdening the gods: "Listen, Tāraka: the sense of the scriptures, and yours too, shall be examined.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.7
शास्त्रैरर्था न दृश्यन्ते समरे निर्भयैर्भटैः शिशुत्वं मावमंस्था मे शिशुः कालभुजंगमः
śāstrairarthā na dṛśyante samare nirbhayairbhaṭaiḥ śiśutvaṃ māvamaṃsthā me śiśuḥ kālabhujaṃgamaḥ
By fearless fighters in battle, matters are not settled by textbooks. Do not despise my childhood: the serpent of Time is a child (too).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.8
दुष्प्रेक्ष्यो भास्करो बालस् तथाहं दुर्जयः शिशुः अल्पाक्षरो न मन्त्रः किं सुस्फुरो दैत्य दृश्यते
duṣprekṣyo bhāskaro bālas tathāhaṃ durjayaḥ śiśuḥ alpākṣaro na mantraḥ kiṃ susphuro daitya dṛśyate
The sun, though a child, is hard to look at; so am I, a child, hard to conquer. Is a spell with few syllables not seen to be highly effective, O Daitya?
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.9
कुमारे प्रोक्तवत्येवं दैत्यश्चिक्षेप मुद्गरम् कुमारस्तं निरस्याथ वज्रेणामोघवर्चसा
kumāre proktavatyevaṃ daityaścikṣepa mudgaram kumārastaṃ nirasyātha vajreṇāmoghavarcasā
When the boy had spoken thus, the Daitya hurled a mace; and the boy struck it away with his thunderbolt of unfailing brilliance.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.10
ततश्चिक्षेप दैत्येन्द्रो भिन्दिपालमयोमयम् करेण तच्च जग्राह कार्तिकेयो ऽमरारिहा
tataścikṣepa daityendro bhindipālamayomayam kareṇa tacca jagrāha kārtikeyo 'marārihā
Then the lord of the Daityas hurled an iron javelin, and Kārtikeya, slayer of the immortals' foes, caught it with his hand.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.11
गदां मुमोच दैत्याय षण्मुखः परमस्वनाम् तया हतस्ततो दैत्यश् चकम्पे ऽचलराडिव
gadāṃ mumoca daityāya ṣaṇmukhaḥ paramasvanām tayā hatastato daityaś cakampe 'calarāḍiva
The six-faced one hurled at the demon a mace of terrible roar; struck by it, the demon then trembled like the king of mountains.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.12
मेने च दुर्जयं दैत्यस् तदा षड्वदनं रणे चिन्तयामास बुद्ध्या वै प्राप्तः कालो न संशयः
mene ca durjayaṃ daityas tadā ṣaḍvadanaṃ raṇe cintayāmāsa buddhyā vai prāptaḥ kālo na saṃśayaḥ
And the demon then reckoned the six-faced one hard to conquer in battle, and thought with his mind: "My time has come, there is no doubt."
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.13
कुपितं तु तमालोक्य कालनेमिपुरोगमाः सर्वे दैत्येश्वरा जघ्नुः कुमारं रणदारुणम्
kupitaṃ tu tamālokya kālanemipurogamāḥ sarve daityeśvarā jaghnuḥ kumāraṃ raṇadāruṇam
But seeing him angered, all the lords of the demons, with Kālanemi at their head, struck the youth (Kumāra), terrible in battle.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.14
स तैः प्रहारैरस्पृष्टो वृथाक्लेशैर्महाद्युतिः रणशौण्डास्तु दैत्येन्द्राः पुनः प्रासैः शिलीमुखैः
sa taiḥ prahārairaspṛṣṭo vṛthākleśairmahādyutiḥ raṇaśauṇḍāstu daityendrāḥ punaḥ prāsaiḥ śilīmukhaiḥ
He of great splendour was untouched by those blows, whose pains were in vain; but the demon lords, drunk with battle, again with javelins and arrows—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.15
कुमारं सामरं जघ्नुर् बलिनो देवकण्टकाः कुमारस्य व्यथा नाभूद् दैत्यास्त्रनिहतस्य तु
kumāraṃ sāmaraṃ jaghnur balino devakaṇṭakāḥ kumārasya vyathā nābhūd daityāstranihatasya tu
—the strong thorns of the gods struck Kumāra together with the immortals; yet there was no pain for Kumāra, though smitten by the demons' weapons.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.16
प्राणान्तकरणो जातो देवानां दानवाहवः देवान्निपीडितान्दृष्ट्वा कुमारः कोपमाविशत्
prāṇāntakaraṇo jāto devānāṃ dānavāhavaḥ devānnipīḍitāndṛṣṭvā kumāraḥ kopamāviśat
The battle of the gods with the dānavas became a taker of lives; seeing the gods hard pressed, Kumāra was seized by anger.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.17
ततो ऽस्त्रैर्वारयामास दानवानामनीकिनीम् ततस्तैर् निष्प्रतीकरैस् ताडिताः सुरकण्टकाः
tato 'strairvārayāmāsa dānavānāmanīkinīm tatastair niṣpratīkarais tāḍitāḥ surakaṇṭakāḥ
Then with (his) weapons he held back the army of the dānavas; then, struck by those irresistible (weapons), the thorns of the gods—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.18
कालनेमिमुखाः सर्वे रणादासन्पराङ्मुखाः विद्रुतेष्वथ दैत्येषु हतेषु च समन्ततः
kālanemimukhāḥ sarve raṇādāsanparāṅmukhāḥ vidruteṣvatha daityeṣu hateṣu ca samantataḥ
—all those led by Kālanemi turned their faces away from the battle; and when the demons had fled and been slain on every side—
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.19
ततः क्रुद्धो महादैत्यस् तारको ऽसुरनायकः जग्राह च गदां दिव्यां हेमजालपरिष्कृताम्
tataḥ kruddho mahādaityas tārako 'suranāyakaḥ jagrāha ca gadāṃ divyāṃ hemajālapariṣkṛtām
Then the great demon Tāraka, leader of the asuras, enraged, took up a divine mace adorned with a net of gold.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.20
जघ्ने कुमारं गदया निष्टप्तकनकाङ्गदः शरैर्मयूरपत्रैश्च चकार विमुखान्सुरान्
jaghne kumāraṃ gadayā niṣṭaptakanakāṅgadaḥ śarairmayūrapatraiśca cakāra vimukhānsurān
With his armlets of refined gold, he struck Kumāra with the mace, and with arrows feathered with peacock plumes he made the gods turn away.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.21
तथा परैर्महाभल्लैर् मयूरं गुहवाहनम् बिभेद तारकः क्रुद्धः स सैन्ये ऽसुरनायकः
tathā parairmahābhallair mayūraṃ guhavāhanam bibheda tārakaḥ kruddhaḥ sa sainye 'suranāyakaḥ
Likewise, with other great broad-headed arrows, the enraged Tāraka, that leader of the asuras, pierced the peacock, Guha's mount, in the midst of the army.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.22
दृष्ट्वा पराङ्मुखान्देवान् मुक्तरक्तं स्ववाहनम् जग्राह शक्तिं विमलां रणे कनकभूषणाम्
dṛṣṭvā parāṅmukhāndevān muktaraktaṃ svavāhanam jagrāha śaktiṃ vimalāṃ raṇe kanakabhūṣaṇām
Seeing the gods turned away and his own mount shedding blood, he took up in the battle the spotless spear adorned with gold,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.23
बाहुना हेमकेयूररुचिरेण षडाननः ततो जवान्महासेनस् तारकं दानवाधिपम्
bāhunā hemakeyūrarucireṇa ṣaḍānanaḥ tato javānmahāsenas tārakaṃ dānavādhipam
with his arm gleaming with a golden armlet—the six-faced one; then Mahāsena swiftly (attacked) Tāraka, lord of the dānavas:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.24
तिष्ठ तिष्ठ सुदुर्बुद्धे जीवलोकं विलोकय हतो ऽस्यद्य मया शक्त्या स्मर शस्त्रं सुशिक्षितम्
tiṣṭha tiṣṭha sudurbuddhe jīvalokaṃ vilokaya hato 'syadya mayā śaktyā smara śastraṃ suśikṣitam
"Stand, stand, you of very evil mind! Look upon the world of the living. You are slain today by my spear—remember your well-practised weaponry!"
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.25
इत्युक्त्वा च ततः शक्तिं मुमोच दितिजं प्रति सा कुमारभुजोत्सृष्टा तत्केयूररवानुगा बिभेद दैत्यहृदयं वज्रशैलेन्द्रकर्कशम्
ityuktvā ca tataḥ śaktiṃ mumoca ditijaṃ prati sā kumārabhujotsṛṣṭā tatkeyūraravānugā bibheda daityahṛdayaṃ vajraśailendrakarkaśam
And having said this he then released the spear against the son of Diti; hurled by Kumāra's arm, following the sound of his armlet, it split the demon's heart, hard as thunderbolt and the king of mountains.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.26
गतासुः स पपातोर्व्यां प्रलये भूधरो यथा विकीर्णमुकुटोष्णीषो विस्रस्ताखिलभूषणः
gatāsuḥ sa papātorvyāṃ pralaye bhūdharo yathā vikīrṇamukuṭoṣṇīṣo visrastākhilabhūṣaṇaḥ
Lifeless, he fell to the earth like a mountain at the dissolution of the world, his crown and turban scattered, all his ornaments slipping loose.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.27
तस्मिन्विनिहते दैत्ये त्रिदशानां महोत्सवे नाभूत् कश्चित् तदा दुःखी नरकेष्वपि पापकृत्
tasminvinihate daitye tridaśānāṃ mahotsave nābhūt kaścit tadā duḥkhī narakeṣvapi pāpakṛt
When that demon was slain, at the great festival of the thirty (gods), no one then was in sorrow—not even an evildoer in the hells.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.28
स्तुवन्तः षण्मुखं देवाः क्रीडन्तश्चाङ्गनायुताः जग्मुः स्वानेव भवनान् भूरिधामान उत्सुकाः
stuvantaḥ ṣaṇmukhaṃ devāḥ krīḍantaścāṅganāyutāḥ jagmuḥ svāneva bhavanān bhūridhāmāna utsukāḥ
Praising the six-faced one, and playing, accompanied by their women, the gods went eagerly to their own abodes of abundant splendour.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.29
ददुश्चापि वरं सर्वे देवाः स्कन्दमुखं प्रति तुष्टाः सम्प्राप्तसर्वेच्छाः सह सिद्धैस्तपोधनैः
daduścāpi varaṃ sarve devāḥ skandamukhaṃ prati tuṣṭāḥ samprāptasarvecchāḥ saha siddhaistapodhanaiḥ
And all the gods, pleased, all their wishes fulfilled, together with the siddhas whose wealth is austerity, granted a boon to Skanda's face (i.e. before Skanda).
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.30
यः पठेत्स्कन्दसम्बद्धां कथां मर्त्यो महामतिः शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेद्वापि स भवेत्कीर्तिमान्नरः
yaḥ paṭhetskandasambaddhāṃ kathāṃ martyo mahāmatiḥ śṛṇuyācchrāvayedvāpi sa bhavetkīrtimānnaraḥ
The mortal of great intelligence who recites the story connected with Skanda, or hears it, or causes it to be heard—that man becomes famous.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.31
बह्वायुः सुभगः श्रीमान् कान्तिमाञ्छुभदर्शनः भूतेभ्यो निर्भयश्चापि सर्वदुःखविवर्जितः
bahvāyuḥ subhagaḥ śrīmān kāntimāñchubhadarśanaḥ bhūtebhyo nirbhayaścāpi sarvaduḥkhavivarjitaḥ
(He becomes) long-lived, fortunate, prosperous, handsome, of auspicious appearance, and fearless of (all) beings, freed from every sorrow.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.32
संध्यामुपास्य यः पूर्वां स्कन्दस्य चरितं पठेत् स मुक्तः किल्बिषैः सर्वैर् महाधनपतिर्भवेत्
saṃdhyāmupāsya yaḥ pūrvāṃ skandasya caritaṃ paṭhet sa muktaḥ kilbiṣaiḥ sarvair mahādhanapatirbhavet
He who, after worshipping the morning twilight, recites the deeds of Skanda is freed from all his sins and becomes a lord of great wealth.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
MtP 160.33
बालानां व्याधिजुष्टानां राजद्वारं च सेवताम् इदं तत्परमं दिव्यं सर्वदा सर्वकामदम् तनुक्षये च सायुज्यं षण्मुखस्य व्रजेन्नरः
bālānāṃ vyādhijuṣṭānāṃ rājadvāraṃ ca sevatām idaṃ tatparamaṃ divyaṃ sarvadā sarvakāmadam tanukṣaye ca sāyujyaṃ ṣaṇmukhasya vrajennaraḥ
For children, for those afflicted with disease, and for those who wait at the king's gate, this supreme, divine (narrative) always grants all desires; and at the perishing of the body a man goes to union with the Six-faced One.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition