Shloka 6

Matsya Purana — Rite and Merits of the Sesame-Mountain

Devanagari script

इत्यामन्त्र्य च यो दद्यात् तिलाचलमनुत्तमम् स वैष्णवं पदं याति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् //

Transliteration

ityāmantrya ca yo dadyāt tilācalamanuttamam sa vaiṣṇavaṃ padaṃ yāti punarāvṛttidurlabham //

Translation

Thus, having duly invoked and taken leave, whoever gives the unsurpassed ‘Tilācala’—the ceremonial mound or mountain of sesame as a gift—attains the Vaiṣṇava abode, from which return to rebirth is rarely possible.

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• āmantrya: having respectfully addressed/invoked (and taken leave)

• ca: and

• yaḥ: whoever

• dadyāt: should give / gives

• tilācalam: Tilācala, a ‘sesame-mountain’ (ritual donation)

• anuttamam: unsurpassed, supreme

• saḥ: he

• vaiṣṇavam: belonging to Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava

• padam: state/abode/goal

• yāti: goes, attains

• punar-āvṛtti: return again (rebirth)

• durlabham: difficult to obtain/rare (i.e., rare to have return

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating Purāṇic instruction on dāna; ultimately rooted in Vaiṣṇava dharma-teaching)

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu (Vaiṣṇava pada)
• Tilācala (sesame-mountain donation)

Tags

• Dāna
• Dharma
• Vaiṣṇava
• Ritual
• Mokṣa

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya directly; it focuses on dāna (charitable ritual giving) as a means to attain the Vaiṣṇava abode and minimize return to saṃsāra.

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

It frames a householder/kingly duty as dāna performed with proper ritual etiquette (āmantraṇa), promising spiritual merit culminating in a Vaiṣṇava goal rather than merely worldly reward.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual focus is Tilācala—constructing/arranging a symbolic ‘mountain’ of sesame for donation—highlighting prescribed ceremonial forms (invocation/leave-taking) rather than temple architecture.