Shloka 1

Matsya Purana — Ritual Procedure and Merit of Donating the Ratnācala

Devanagari script

*ईश्वर उवाच अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि रत्नाचलमनुत्तमम् मुक्ताफलसहस्रेण पर्वतः स्यादनुत्तमः //

Transliteration

*īśvara uvāca ataḥ paraṃ pravakṣyāmi ratnācalamanuttamam muktāphalasahasreṇa parvataḥ syādanuttamaḥ //

Translation

The Lord said: “Now, next, I shall describe the unsurpassed Ratnācala (Gem-Mountain). A mountain endowed with thousands of pearls is indeed called ‘unsurpassed.’”

Word by Word

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord

• uvāca: said

• ataḥ param: thereafter/next

• pravakṣyāmi: I shall explain/declare

• ratnācalam: Ratnācala, the ‘gem-mountain’

• anuttamam: unsurpassed, supreme

• muktāphala: pearl(s) (lit. ‘fruit of the oyster’)

• sahasreṇa: with a thousand/by thousands

• parvataḥ: a mountain

• syāt: would be/is considered

• anuttamaḥ: most excellent/unsurpassed

Speaker

• Īśvara (the Lord; in Matsya Purana discourse, typically Lord Matsya/Vishnu speaking)

Entities Mentioned

• Īśvara
• Ratnācala
• Muktāphala (pearls)

Tags

• Vastuvidya
• Sacred geography
• Ratna
• Puranic cosmography
• Tirtha-Mahatmya

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya directly; it shifts to a descriptive section on Ratnācala, emphasizing auspicious, prosperity-linked imagery (gems and pearls) rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

By praising pearl-abundance as a mark of ‘supreme’ excellence, the verse supports a Purāṇic value-system where rulers and householders cultivate prosperity through dharmic stewardship—protecting resources, honoring sacred places, and supporting ritual economy.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Pearls (muktāphala) are auspicious substances in Purāṇic ritual culture; such imagery often underpins temple endowment ideals and the preference for pure, precious materials in icon adornment and ceremonial offerings—useful context for Matsya Purana’s broader Vastu and pratima-lakṣaṇa themes.