Shloka 48

Matsya Purana — Agastya’s Origin

Devanagari script

श्वेतां च दद्याद्यदि शक्तिरस्ति रौप्यैः खुरैर् हेममुखीं सवत्साम् धेनुं नरः क्षीरवतीं प्रणम्य सवत्सघण्टाभरणां द्विजाय //

Transliteration

śvetāṃ ca dadyādyadi śaktirasti raupyaiḥ khurair hemamukhīṃ savatsām dhenuṃ naraḥ kṣīravatīṃ praṇamya savatsaghaṇṭābharaṇāṃ dvijāya //

Translation

If he has the means, a man should also donate a white cow—its hooves plated with silver and its face adorned with gold—together with its calf. Bowing in reverence, he should give to a brāhmaṇa a milk-yielding cow, furnished with a bell and ornaments, along with its calf.

Word by Word

• śvetām: a white (cow)

• ca: and/also

• dadyāt: should give (as a gift)

• yadi: if

• śaktiḥ asti: there is ability/means

• raupyaiḥ: with silver

• khuraiḥ: hooves

• hema-mukhīm: gold-faced / with a face adorned with gold

• sa-vatsām: with a calf

• dhenuṃ: a cow

• naraḥ: a man/householder

• kṣīravatīm: rich in milk, milk-yielding

• praṇamya: having bowed, paying reverence

• sa-vatsa: with calf

• ghaṇṭā-abharaṇām: having a bell and ornaments

• dvijāya: to a twice-born (Brahmin).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Lord Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Dvija (Brahmin)
• Dhenu (cow)
• Vatsa (calf)

Tags

• Dāna
• Go-dāna
• Gṛhastha-dharma
• Ritual Merit
• Matsya Purana Ethics

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on dāna-dharma—how a householder should perform meritorious gifting, specifically the donation of a well-adorned cow with its calf.

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

It presents a practical gṛhastha (and by extension royal) duty: giving charity according to one’s capacity. The verse emphasizes reverence (praṇamya), proper recipients (dvija), and the completeness of the gift (cow with calf, fit with bell and ornaments).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual rather than architectural: it specifies the proper form and adornment of a gift-cow (silver hooves, gold-adorned face, bell, ornaments, with calf), reflecting formal standards for go-dāna in Matsya Purana charity prescriptions.