Shloka 1

Matsya Purana — Rite of Donating the ‘Sugar Mountain’

Devanagari script

*ईश्वर उवाच अथातः सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि शर्कराशैलमुत्तमम् यस्य प्रदानाद्विष्ण्वर्करुद्रास्तुष्यन्ति सर्वदा //

Transliteration

*īśvara uvāca athātaḥ sampravakṣyāmi śarkarāśailamuttamam yasya pradānādviṣṇvarkarudrāstuṣyanti sarvadā //

Translation

Īśvara said: “Now I shall fully explain the excellent ‘Śarkarā-śaila’ (the gift of a mountain-like heap of śarkarā). By offering it, Viṣṇu, Arka (the Sun), and Rudra are ever pleased.”

Word by Word

• ईश्वर (īśvara): the Lord

• उवाच (uvāca): said

• अथ (atha): now/then

• अतः (ataḥ): therefore/thereupon

• सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि (sampravakṣyāmi): I will explain in full

• शर्कराशैलम् (śarkarāśailam): ‘mountain of śarkarā’ (a ritually offered heap, commonly understood as sugar or small gravel-like granules used for dāna)

• उत्तमम् (uttamam): excellent/supreme

• यस्य (yasya): of which/whose

• प्रदानात् (pradānāt): from the giving/through the donation

• विष्णु (viṣṇu): Lord Viṣṇu

• अर्क (arka): the Sun (Sūrya)

• रुद्राः (rudrāḥ): Rudra/Śiva (and/or Rudra-deities)

• तुष्यन्ति (tuṣyanti): are pleased/satisfied

• सर्वदा (sarvadā): always/at all times

Speaker

• Īśvara (the Lord, in Purāṇic dialogue often identified with Lord Matsya/Vishnu as teacher)

Entities Mentioned

• Īśvara
• Śarkarāśaila
• Viṣṇu
• Arka (Sūrya)
• Rudra

Tags

• Dāna
• Punya
• Ritual gifting
• Sun worship
• Vaishnava-Shaiva harmony

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya; it introduces a dāna (charitable offering) whose merit is said to please major deities, indicating a dharma-based path to spiritual benefit rather than a cosmological event.

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

It frames dāna as a key duty: a householder or king gains religious merit by performing prescribed gifts, here the ‘Śarkarāśaila’ donation, understood as a formally arranged offering made with devotion and proper ritual intent.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual: the text signals a specific, named form of donation (‘mountain-like heap’ offering) categorized under dāna-vidhi, emphasizing standardized ritual forms that generate merit and deity-pleasure.