Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

नक्तमब्दं चरित्वा तु गवा सार्धं कुटुम्बिने हैमं चक्रं त्रिशूलं च दद्याद्विप्राय वाससी //

Transliteration

naktamabdaṃ caritvā tu gavā sārdhaṃ kuṭumbine haimaṃ cakraṃ triśūlaṃ ca dadyādviprāya vāsasī //

Translation

Nachdem er ein Jahr lang das Gelübde eingehalten hat, nur die Nachtmahlzeit zu sich zu nehmen, soll der Hausvater zusammen mit einer Kuh einem Brāhmaṇa eine goldene Scheibe (Cakra) und einen Dreizack (Triśūla) sowie ein Paar Gewänder spenden.

Word by Word

• नक्तम् (naktam): at night / the night-meal vow

• अब्दम् (abdam): for a year

• चरित्वा (caritvā): having practiced/observed

• तु (tu): indeed

• गवा (gavā): with a cow

• सार्धम् (sārdham): together with

• कुटुम्बिने (kuṭumbine): to the householder (one with a family)

• हैमम् (haimam): golden

• चक्रम् (cakram): discus (cakra)

• त्रिशूलम् (triśūlam): trident

• च (ca): and

• दद्यात् (dadyāt): should give/donate

• विप्राय (viprāya): to a brāhmaṇa

• वाससी (vāsasī): two garments / a pair of clothes

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution for this dāna section)

Entities Mentioned

• Brāhmaṇa (Vipra)
• Householder (Kuṭumbin)
• Cow (Go)
• Cakra
• Triśūla

Tags

• Dāna
• Vrata
• Householder Dharma
• Ritual Gifts
• Merit (Puṇya)

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya; it focuses on dharma in the form of a vow (night-meal observance) and the prescribed charitable gifts that follow it.

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

It gives a householder-focused prescription: after sustaining a disciplined vow for a year, one should conclude it with dāna—especially gifting a cow, clothing, and auspicious symbolic weapons (cakra, triśūla) to a brāhmaṇa—showing restraint followed by generosity as core gṛhastha-dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance lies in vrata-completion through dāna and in the symbolic items: the cakra and triśūla function as sacred emblems (āyudha-symbols) offered in charity, along with garments and a cow, to sanctify the observance.