Shloka 56

Matsya Purana — Glory of Tīrtha-Śrāddha: Best Times

Devanagari script

तथैव पितृतीर्थं तु यत्र गोदावरी नदी युता लिङ्गसहस्रेण सर्वान्तरजलावहा //

Transliteration

tathaiva pitṛtīrthaṃ tu yatra godāvarī nadī yutā liṅgasahasreṇa sarvāntarajalāvahā //

Translation

Likewise there is the Pitṛ-tīrtha, the sacred ford for the Ancestors, where the river Godāvarī—joined with a thousand liṅgas—flows, bearing waters that permeate all within and sanctify it.

Word by Word

• tathā eva: likewise, in the same manner

• pitṛ-tīrtham: the sacred ford/holy place connected with the Pitṛs (ancestral spirits)

• tu: indeed/and

• yatra: where

• godāvarī nadī: the river Godāvarī

• yutā: joined, associated, accompanied

• liṅga-sahasreṇa: with a thousand liṅgas (Śiva-emblems)

• sarva-antara-jala-āvahā: carrying water into all interiors/through all inner channels

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing the tīrthas within the Matsya Purāṇa’s pilgrimage section

Entities Mentioned

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Godāvarī River
• Liṅga (Śiva-emblem)

Tags

• Tirtha
• Pitru
• Godavari
• Shaiva
• Ritual

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it focuses on tīrtha-māhātmya—how a specific sacred place on the Godāvarī is spiritually potent, especially for ancestral rites.

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

It supports the gṛhastha duty of pitṛ-kārya (honoring ancestors): visiting Pitṛtīrtha, bathing, and offering tarpaṇa/śrāddha at such sanctified waters is presented as a meritorious observance.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, the site is marked by “a thousand liṅgas,” indicating a Śaiva sacred complex where bathing and ancestral offerings gain heightened merit due to the presence of many consecrated liṅga shrines.