Shloka 9

Matsya Purana — Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī Vrata: Monthly Śiva-Names

Devanagari script

देवाय दद्यादर्घ्यं च कृष्णां गां कृष्णवाससम् दद्यात्समाप्ते दध्यन्नं वितानध्वजचामरम् //

Transliteration

devāya dadyādarghyaṃ ca kṛṣṇāṃ gāṃ kṛṣṇavāsasam dadyātsamāpte dadhyannaṃ vitānadhvajacāmaram //

Translation

One should offer arghya to the deity, and also give a black cow together with a black garment. At the conclusion of the rite, one should donate rice mixed with curds, along with a ceremonial canopy (vitāna), a banner (dhvaja), and a yak-tail fan (chāmara).

Word by Word

• देवाय (devāya): to the deity

• दद्यात् (dadyāt): one should give/offer

• अर्घ्यम् (arghyam): arghya, a respectful water-offering

• च (ca): and

• कृष्णाम् (kṛṣṇām): black (feminine)

• गाम् (gām): cow

• कृष्णवाससम् (kṛṣṇavāsasam): black garment/black clothing

• समाप्‍ते (samāpte): at the completion/conclusion

• दध्यन्नम् (dadhyannam): food of rice with curds (curd-rice)

• वितान (vitāna): ceremonial canopy/awning

• ध्वज (dhvaja): banner/flag

• चामरम् (cāmaram): yak-tail fan used in honorific worship

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution for this instructional section)

Entities Mentioned

• Deva (the worshipped deity)
• Arghya
• Go-dāna (gift of a cow)
• Chāmara

Tags

• Dana
• Vrata
• Ritual
• Arghya
• Go-dana

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it focuses on ritual etiquette—offerings to the deity and prescribed gifts at the completion of a religious observance.

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

It frames dāna (charitable giving) as a dharmic duty: a householder (and by extension a king as patron) should honor the deity with arghya and support religious order through specified donations at a rite’s conclusion.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The items vitāna (canopy), dhvaja (banner), and cāmara (yak-tail fan) are honorific ritual accessories used in pūjā and festival processions, indicating a formal, temple-style completion of worship rather than domestic worship alone.