Shloka 19

Matsya Purana — Ritual Bathing

Devanagari script

मरीचिमत्र्यङ्गिरसं पुलस्त्यं पुलहं क्रतुम् प्रचेतसं वसिष्ठं च भृगुं नारदमेव च देवब्रह्मऋषीन् सर्वांस् तर्पयेद् अक्षतौदकैः //

Transliteration

marīcimatryaṅgirasaṃ pulastyaṃ pulahaṃ kratum pracetasaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ ca bhṛguṃ nāradameva ca devabrahmaṛṣīn sarvāṃs tarpayed akṣataudakaiḥ //

Translation

With water mixed with unbroken rice-grains (akṣata), one should perform tarpaṇa to Marīci, Atri, Aṅgiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Pracetas, Vasiṣṭha, Bhṛgu, and Nārada—indeed, to all the divine Brahma-ṛṣis.

Word by Word

• मरीचिम् (marīcim): Marīci

• अत्रि (atri): Atri

• अङ्गिरसम् (aṅgirasaṃ): Aṅgiras

• पुलस्त्यम् (pulastyaṃ): Pulastya

• पुलहम् (pulahaṃ): Pulaha

• क्रतुम् (kratum): Kratu

• प्रचेतसम् (pracetasaṃ): Pracetas

• वसिष्ठम् (vasiṣṭham): Vasiṣṭha

• भृगुम् (bhṛgum): Bhṛgu

• नारदम् (nāradam): Nārada

• एव च (eva ca): and also/indeed

• देव-ब्रह्म-ऋषीन् (deva-brahma-ṛṣīn): the divine Brahma-seers (Brahmarṣis)

• सर्वान् (sarvān): all

• तर्पयेत् (tarpayet): should satiate/offer libations to

• अक्षत-उदकैः (akṣata-udakaiḥ): with water along with unbroken rice (akṣata-water).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within the Matsya Purana’s ritual discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Marīci
• Atri
• Aṅgiras
• Pulastya
• Pulaha
• Kratu
• Pracetas
• Vasiṣṭha
• Bhṛgu
• Nārada
• Brahmarṣis (Deva-Brahma-Ṛṣis)
• Tarpaṇa
• Akṣata (unbroken rice)

Tags

• Tarpaṇa
• Śrāddha
• Brahmarṣis
• Ritual Procedure
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe pralaya directly; it preserves ritual continuity across time by prescribing ṛṣi-tarpaṇa—honouring primordial seers (Brahmarṣis) who transmit Vedic order through cycles of creation and dissolution.

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

It gives a householder’s (and by extension a king’s) dharmic duty: to perform tarpaṇa to the Brahmarṣis using sanctified water with akṣata, acknowledging the lineage of sacred knowledge and maintaining social-religious order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual, not architectural: tarpaṇa is to be done with akṣata-udaka (water mixed with unbroken rice), a standard purity-marker in śrāddha-related procedures for satisfying revered sages.