Shloka 12

Matsya Purana — How Śrāddha Offerings Reach the Ancestors

Devanagari script

राज्यं चैव प्रयच्छन्ति प्रीताः पितृगणा नृणाम् श्रूयते च पुरा मोक्षं प्राप्ताः कौशिकसूनवः पञ्चभिर्जन्मसम्बन्धैर् गता विष्णोः परं पदम् //

Transliteration

rājyaṃ caiva prayacchanti prītāḥ pitṛgaṇā nṛṇām śrūyate ca purā mokṣaṃ prāptāḥ kauśikasūnavaḥ pañcabhirjanmasambandhair gatā viṣṇoḥ paraṃ padam //

Translation

When pleased, the hosts of the Pitṛs (ancestors) bestow even kingship upon men. And it is heard from ancient times that the sons of Kauśika attained liberation; through bonds of relationship spanning five births, they went to Viṣṇu’s supreme abode.

Word by Word

• राज्यम् (rājyam): kingship, sovereignty

• च एव (ca eva): and indeed

• प्रयच्छन्ति (prayacchanti): grant, bestow

• प्रीताः (prītāḥ): pleased, satisfied

• पितृगणाः (pitṛgaṇāḥ): groups/hosts of ancestors

• नृणाम् (nṛṇām): of men

• श्रूयते (śrūyate): is heard, is traditionally reported

• च (ca): and

• पुरा (purā): formerly, in ancient times

• मोक्षम् (mokṣam): liberation

• प्राप्ताः (prāptāḥ): attained

• कौशिकसूनवः (kauśika-sūnavaḥ): the sons/descendants of Kauśika

• पञ्चभिः (pañcabhiḥ): by five

• जन्मसम्बन्धैः (janma-sambandhaiḥ): connections/relations across births

• गताः (gatāḥ): gone, reached

• विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ): of Viṣṇu

• परम् (param): supreme

• पदम् (padam): abode, state

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution within the Matsya Purana’s discourse on dharma and rites)

Entities Mentioned

• Pitṛgaṇas (ancestors)
• Viṣṇu
• Kauśika (lineage reference)

Tags

• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs
• Dharma
• Karma and merit
• Mokṣa

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it teaches the karmic fruits of pleasing the Pitṛs—worldly sovereignty and even liberation culminating in Viṣṇu’s supreme abode.

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

It supports the gṛhastha/royal duty of performing śrāddha and honoring ancestors: when the Pitṛs are satisfied, they are said to confer prosperity, stability of rule, and higher spiritual outcomes.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual rather than architectural: it highlights śrāddha/tarpaṇa as efficacious rites whose merit can yield both temporal power (rājya) and ultimate release (mokṣa).