Shloka 17

Matsya Purana — Catalogue of the Eighteen Puranas

Devanagari script

तदाषाढे च यो दद्याद् घृतधेनुसमन्वितम् पौर्णमास्यां विपूतात्मा स पदं याति वारुणम् त्रयोविंशतिसाहस्रं तत्प्रमाणं विदुर्बुधाः //

Transliteration

tadāṣāḍhe ca yo dadyād ghṛtadhenusamanvitam paurṇamāsyāṃ vipūtātmā sa padaṃ yāti vāruṇam trayoviṃśatisāhasraṃ tatpramāṇaṃ vidurbudhāḥ //

Translation

In the month of Āṣāḍha, whoever, with a purified mind, gives on the full-moon day the ghee-cow offering (ghṛta-dhenu—a ritual gift of a cow accompanied by ghee) attains the realm of Varuṇa. The learned know its prescribed measure to be twenty-three thousand.

Word by Word

• tadāṣāḍhe: in that (month) Āṣāḍha

• ca: and

• yaḥ: whoever

• dadyāt: should give/gives

• ghṛta-dhenu-samanvitam: accompanied by a ghee-cow gift (cow associated with ghee as ritual dāna)

• paurṇamāsyām: on the full-moon day

• vipūta-ātmā: with a thoroughly purified self/mind

• saḥ: he

• padam: abode/realm/state

• yāti: goes/attains

• vāruṇam: belonging to Varuṇa (Varuṇa’s realm)

• trayoviṃśati-sāhasram: twenty-three thousand

• tat-pramāṇam: that prescribed measure/standard

• viduḥ: know

• budhāḥ: the wise/learned.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, dāna-phala discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Varuṇa
• Paurṇamāsī (Full-moon observance)
• Āṣāḍha (lunar month)

Tags

• Dāna
• Paurṇimā
• Ritual gift
• Karma-phala
• Vrata

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it teaches dāna-dharma—how a specific full-moon gift in Āṣāḍha yields a particular posthumous attainment (Varuṇa’s realm).

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

It frames a householder/kingly duty of regulated charity: giving a ritually defined gift on Paurṇimā with inner purity, emphasizing dharma expressed through timely, scripturally measured dāna.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is calendrical and procedural: a Paurṇimā (full-moon) observance in Āṣāḍha featuring a ghṛta-dhenu dāna, with a stated traditional pramāṇa (standard measure/value) of “twenty-three thousand.”