Shloka 29

Matsya Purana — Catalogue of the Eighteen Puranas

Devanagari script

लिखित्वा तच्च यो दद्याद् धेमपद्मसमन्वितम् मार्गशीर्ष्यां विधानेन तिलधेनुसमन्वितम् //

Transliteration

likhitvā tacca yo dadyād dhemapadmasamanvitam mārgaśīrṣyāṃ vidhānena tiladhenusamanvitam //

Translation

Whoever has that sacred text written out and then donates it—adorned with a golden lotus, and in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, according to the prescribed rite, accompanied by the sesame “cow” offering (tila-dhenu)—obtains the stated religious merit.

Word by Word

• लिखित्वा (likhitvā): having caused to be written / having written

• तत् (tad): that (text/thing previously mentioned)

• च (ca): and

• यः (yaḥ): whoever

• दद्यात् (dadyāt): should give, would donate

• धेमपद्मसमन्वितम् (dhema-padma-samanvitam): endowed with a golden lotus (ornament/embellishment)

• मार्गशीर्ष्यां (mārgaśīrṣyām): in (the month of) Mārgaśīrṣa

• विधानेन (vidhānena): according to the injunction, by the proper procedure

• तिलधेनुसमन्वितम् (tila-dhenu-samanvitam): accompanied by a tila-dhenu, a symbolic ‘sesame cow’ offering (made of sesame/sesame products).

Speaker

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

Entities Mentioned

• Lord Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Mārgaśīrṣa
• Dhema-padma (golden lotus)
• Tila-dhenu (sesame cow offering)

Tags

• Dāna
• Dharma
• Vrata
• Ritual procedure
• Mārgaśīrṣa month

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to dāna-dharma and describes the merit-bearing procedure of donating a written sacred item/text with specific ritual accompaniments.

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

It frames a householder/kingly duty as ritualized generosity: commissioning a sacred writing and donating it with prescribed auspicious symbols (golden lotus) and offerings (tila-dhenu) at an astrologically/ritually favored time (Mārgaśīrṣa), emphasizing disciplined charity rather than mere giving.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual (not architectural): proper vidhāna (injunctive procedure), timing in Mārgaśīrṣa, and the use of symbolic auspicious items—dhema-padma (golden lotus) and tila-dhenu (sesame cow offering)—as ritual accompaniments to a donation.