Shloka 13

Matsya Purana — Catalogue of the Eighteen Puranas

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मं त्रिदशसाहस्रं पुराणं परिकीर्त्यते लिखित्वा तच्च यो दद्याज् जलधेनुसमन्वितम् वैशाखपूर्णिमायां च ब्रह्मलोके महीयते //

Transliteration

brāhmaṃ tridaśasāhasraṃ purāṇaṃ parikīrtyate likhitvā tacca yo dadyāj jaladhenusamanvitam vaiśākhapūrṇimāyāṃ ca brahmaloke mahīyate //

Translation

The Brahma Purāṇa is proclaimed to be thirty thousand verses in extent. Whoever has it written out and then donates that manuscript—together with a jaladhenu (“water-cow,” a ritual gift for the merit of providing water)—on the full-moon day of Vaiśākha is honored in Brahmaloka, the world of Brahmā.

Word by Word

• brāhmam: the Brahma Purāṇa

• tridaśa-sāhasram: thirty-thousand (in number)

• purāṇam: Purāṇa scripture

• parikīrtyate: is declared/proclaimed

• likhitvā: having caused to be written/having written

• tat ca: that (text) also

• yaḥ: whoever

• dadyāt: would give/donate

• jala-dhenu-samanvitam: accompanied by a jaladhenu (‘water-cow’ gift)

• vaiśākha-pūrṇimāyām: on the full-moon of Vaiśākha

• ca: and

• brahma-loke: in Brahmā’s realm

• mahīyate: is honored/glorified.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Brahma
• Brahmaloka
• Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā
• Brahma Purāṇa
• Jaladhenu

Tags

• Dāna
• Purāṇa-dāna
• Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā
• Ritual merit
• Manuscript gifting

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it focuses on dāna-dharma—specifically the merit gained by donating a written Purāṇa along with a jaladhenu on Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā.

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

It frames a householder’s (and by extension a king’s) dharmic duty of supporting sacred learning: commissioning a manuscript and gifting it, with an auxiliary ritual gift (jaladhenu), as a high-merit act that yields exalted posthumous status (honor in Brahmaloka).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is the prescribed timing and pairing of gifts: donating a Purāṇa manuscript specifically on Vaiśākha Pūrṇimā, accompanied by jaladhenu—an established dāna symbolizing the provision of water and sustaining merit.