Shloka 88

Matsya Purana — Glory of Tīrtha-Śrāddha: Best Times

Devanagari script

विष्णोर् देहसमुद्भूताः कुशाः कृष्णास्तिलास्तथा श्राद्धस्य रक्षणायालम् एतत्प्राहुर्दिवौकसः //

Transliteration

viṣṇor dehasamudbhūtāḥ kuśāḥ kṛṣṇāstilāstathā śrāddhasya rakṣaṇāyālam etatprāhurdivaukasaḥ //

Translation

The kuśa grass and the black sesame seeds are said to have arisen from the body of Viṣṇu; the gods declare that these are fully sufficient for the protection of the Śrāddha rite.

Word by Word

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu

• deha-samudbhūtāḥ: arisen/produced from the body

• kuśāḥ: kuśa grasses

• kṛṣṇāḥ: black (dark)

• tilāḥ: sesame seeds

• tathā: and likewise

• śrāddhasya: of the Śrāddha (ancestral offering)

• rakṣaṇāya: for protection/safeguarding

• alam: sufficient, enough

• etat: this

• prāhuḥ: they said/declare

• divaukasaḥ: the dwellers of heaven, the gods

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) conveying the Matsya Purāṇa’s śrāddha injunctions (traditionally framed as instruction ultimately rooted in Lord Matsya’s teaching)

Entities Mentioned

• Viṣṇu
• Kuśa
• Kṛṣṇa-tila (black sesame)
• Divaukasaḥ (Devas)
• Śrāddha

Tags

• Śrāddha
• Ritual Purity
• Ancestral Rites
• Dharma
• Protective Rites

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it instead grounds ritual materials (kuśa and black sesame) in a divine origin from Viṣṇu, emphasizing sacred protection rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

It supports the gṛhastha duty of performing Śrāddha correctly: using kuśa and black sesame is presented as a dharmic safeguard, ensuring the rite’s sanctity and efficacy for ancestors.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it identifies kuśa and black sesame as key protective substances in Śrāddha—purifying, warding off obstacles, and securing the intended merit of the ancestral offering.