Matsya Purana — Śrāddha Procedure: Types, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अभिघार्यं ततः कुर्यान् निर्वापत्रयमग्रतः ते ऽपि तस्यायताः कार्याश् चतुरङ्गुलविस्तृताः //

Transliteration

abhighāryaṃ tataḥ kuryān nirvāpatrayamagrataḥ te 'pi tasyāyatāḥ kāryāś caturaṅgulavistṛtāḥ //

Translation

ثم ينبغي إعداد الأَبهيغاريا (abhighārya)، أي الرشّ/الدهن المُقدَّس. وأمامها يُنشئ ثلاثة مواضع نِرفابا (nirvāpa) لوضع أجزاء القربان. وهذه أيضاً تُجعل ممدودة على النحو نفسه، ويكون عرض كلّ واحد منها أربع أَنْغولا (أربع عرضات أصابع).

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter

• kuryāt: should make/prepare

• abhighāryam: abhighārya rite/substance (consecrated sprinkling/unction)

• agrataḥ: in front (of it)

• nirvāpa-trayam: three nirvāpas (three deposited offering portions/places)

• te api: those also

• tasya-āyatāḥ: elongated/extended like that (in the same orientation/measure)

• kāryāḥ: are to be made

• caturaṅgula-vistṛtāḥ: having a width of four aṅgulas (four finger-breadths)

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Ritual procedure
• Measurements
• Altar layout
• Matsya Purana

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it gives technical instructions for arranging ritual components and their measurements.

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

It reflects the dharmic duty of performing rites correctly—emphasizing precise placement and standardized measures (aṅgulas) for offerings, a concern shared by householders and rulers supporting public rituals.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It specifies ritual/plan geometry: three nirvāpa placements are to be set in front of the abhighārya and each should be elongated with a standardized width of four aṅgulas—showing the Matsya Purana’s measurement-based Vastu-ritual discipline.