Shloka 24

Matsya Purana — Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha

Devanagari script

सदैव पितृहा स स्यान् मातृभ्रातृविनाशकः मृताहे पार्वणं कुर्वन् नधो ऽधो याति मानवः //

Transliteration

sadaiva pitṛhā sa syān mātṛbhrātṛvināśakaḥ mṛtāhe pārvaṇaṃ kurvan nadho 'dho yāti mānavaḥ //

Translation

A man who performs the pārvaṇa-śrāddha on the very day of death becomes, as it were, a constant slayer of his forefathers and a destroyer of his mother and brothers; he goes ever further downward into lower states of suffering.

Word by Word

• sadaiva: always/constantly

• pitṛ-hā: slayer of the Pitṛs/forefathers

• sa: he

• syāt: would become

• mātṛ: mother

• bhrātṛ: brothers

• vināśakaḥ: destroyer/ruiner

• mṛta-ahe: on the death-day/inauspicious day connected with death

• pārvaṇam: pārvaṇa-śrāddha (ancestral rite at the new/full moon or parvan)

• kurvan: performing

• adhaḥ adhaḥ: downward and downward (ever lower)

• yāti: goes/attains

• mānavaḥ: a man (human).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (instructing Vaivasvata Manu on dharma and śrāddha procedure)

Entities Mentioned

• Pitṛs (ancestors)

Tags

• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs
• Ritual Purity
• Dharma
• Karmic Consequences

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it teaches ritual-ethical causality (karma) by warning that mis-timed ancestral rites lead to spiritual downfall.

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

It instructs householders (and kings as guardians of dharma) to follow correct śrāddha timing; performing a lunar-parvan śrāddha on an inauspicious death-related day is treated as a grievous fault with severe karmic results.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual: it specifically cautions against performing pārvaṇa-śrāddha on a mṛtāha (death-day), emphasizing proper calendrical eligibility (kāla-śuddhi) for ancestral offerings.