Shloka 42

Matsya Purana — Procedure for Going to Prayaga and the Greatness of the Ganga

Devanagari script

धनधान्यसमायुक्तो दाता भवति नित्यशः भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगांस् तत्तीर्थं लभते पुनः //

Transliteration

dhanadhānyasamāyukto dātā bhavati nityaśaḥ bhuktvā tu vipulānbhogāṃs tattīrthaṃ labhate punaḥ //

Translation

Endowed with wealth and grain, one becomes a constant giver. And after enjoying abundant pleasures, one attains that very sacred tīrtha again.

Word by Word

• dhana: wealth

• dhānya: grain/food supplies

• samāyuktaḥ: endowed with/possessed of

• dātā: giver/donor

• bhavati: becomes

• nityaśaḥ: always/continually

• bhuktvā: having enjoyed

• tu: and/indeed

• vipulān: plentiful/abundant

• bhogān: enjoyments/pleasures

• tat-tīrtham: that sacred ford/pilgrimage-place (its merit)

• labhate: attains/obtains

• punaḥ: again/once more

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution for this discourse unit)

Entities Mentioned

• Tirtha
• Dana (charity)

Tags

• Tirtha-Mahatmya
• Dana-Phala
• Householder-Dharma
• Pilgrimage
• Punya

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya directly; it teaches karma-phala: generosity leads to prosperity and repeated access to sacred merit, implying continuity of moral causation across lives rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

It frames the ideal gṛhastha/king as a sustained donor: maintaining resources (wealth and grain) not merely for enjoyment but for continual giving, which yields both worldly enjoyment and lasting religious merit.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual emphasis is on tīrtha-sevā and dāna: supporting sacred places and acts of giving; while no Vāstu rule appears, it supports the broader ritual economy that sustains temples and pilgrimage sites.