Shloka 54

Matsya Purana — Catalogue of the Eighteen Puranas

Devanagari script

तद् अष्टादशकं चैकं सहस्राणीह पठ्यते सौवर्णहंससंयुक्तं यो ददाति पुमानिह स सिद्धिं लभते मुख्यां शिवलोके च संस्थितिम् //

Transliteration

tad aṣṭādaśakaṃ caikaṃ sahasrāṇīha paṭhyate sauvarṇahaṃsasaṃyuktaṃ yo dadāti pumāniha sa siddhiṃ labhate mukhyāṃ śivaloke ca saṃsthitim //

Translation

Here it is recited as a single set of eighteen thousand. Whoever in this world donates it together with a golden haṃsa (swan) attains the highest siddhi and an abiding station in Śiva’s realm.

Word by Word

• tad: that (text/recitation)

• aṣṭādaśakam: a set of eighteen

• ca: and

• ekam: one (single corpus)

• sahasrāṇi: thousands

• iha: here/in this world

• paṭhyate: is recited/read

• sauvarṇa: golden

• haṃsa: swan

• saṃyuktam: joined with/accompanied by

• yaḥ: whoever

• dadāti: gives/donates

• pumān: a man/person

• iha: here

• saḥ: he

• siddhim: accomplishment/spiritual attainment

• labhate: obtains

• mukhyām: supreme/chief

• śiva-loke: in Śiva’s world/realm

• ca: and

• saṃsthitim: abiding residence/settled state.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Shiva
• Hamsa (swan)

Tags

• Dana
• Punya
• Shivaloka
• Scripture-recitation
• Gift-ritual

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya directly; it focuses on dāna (charitable gifting) and the fruit of donating a revered textual corpus accompanied by a golden haṃsa, resulting in attainment of Śiva’s realm.

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

It frames a householder/kingly duty as supporting dharma through sanctioned gifts—specifically donating sacred recitations/texts and ritual emblems—promising high spiritual merit (siddhi) and an auspicious posthumous destination.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance lies in the prescribed dāna: giving the recited corpus “together with a golden haṃsa,” a symbolic auspicious offering often linked with purity, discernment, and elevated spiritual states, used here as a merit-amplifying accompaniment to the gift.