Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा सितद्वितीयायाम् इन्दोर्लवणभाजनम् समान्ते गोप्रदो याति विप्राय शिवमन्दिरम् कल्पान्ते राजराजः स्यात् सोमव्रतमिदं स्मृतम् //

Transliteration

dattvā sitadvitīyāyām indorlavaṇabhājanam samānte goprado yāti viprāya śivamandiram kalpānte rājarājaḥ syāt somavratamidaṃ smṛtam //

Translation

Am zweiten Mondtag der hellen Monatshälfte, nachdem man dem Mond ein Gefäß mit Salz dargebracht und am Abschluss der Observanz auch eine Kuh verschenkt hat, soll man zu einem Brāhmaṇa in einen Śiva-Tempel gehen. Am Ende des Kalpa wird er zum „König der Könige“—dies gilt als das Soma‑vrata (Mondgelübde).

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा (dattvā): having given

• सितद्वितीयायाम् (sitadvitīyāyām): on the bright-fortnight second tithi (Śukla-dvitīyā)

• इन्दोः (indoḥ): of Indu/Soma, the Moon

• लवणभाजनम् (lavaṇabhājanam): a vessel/pot of salt

• समान्ते (samānte): at the end/completion (of the vow)

• गोप्रदः (gopradaḥ): giver of a cow (one who donates a cow)

• याति (yāti): goes/approaches

• विप्राय (viprāya): to a brāhmaṇa

• शिवमन्दिरम् (śivamandiram): Śiva’s temple

• कल्पान्ते (kalpānte): at the end of a kalpa/aeon

• राजराजः (rājarājaḥ): king of kings, supreme ruler

• स्यात् (syāt): becomes

• सोमव्रतम् (somavratam): Soma-vow, lunar vow

• इदं (idaṃ): this

• स्मृतम् (smṛtam): remembered/declared in tradition.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in dialogue instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within a dharma/vrata teaching sequence)

Entities Mentioned

• Soma (Indu, the Moon)
• Shiva
• Brahmana (Vipra)

Tags

• Somavrata
• Vrata
• Dana
• Tithi
• Shiva Temple
• Ritual Merit
• Dharma

FAQs

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

It does not describe pralaya directly; it uses the phrase “at the end of the kalpa” to express the long-term karmic fruit of the vow—sovereignty (rājarāja) accrued through ritual gifting and devotion.

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

It prescribes a householder-style dharma practice: observing a lunar-tithi vow, making specific donations (salt vessel, then cow), and honoring a brāhmaṇa at a Śiva temple—actions framed as producing merit and future rulership.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it specifies Śukla-dvitīyā timing and a defined gift-sequence culminating at a Śiva temple; architecturally, it only implies temple-centered worship (śivamandira) rather than giving construction rules.