Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — Sādhāraṇa Śrāddha: General Ancestral Rite

Devanagari script

जलजं वाथ कुर्वीत तथा सागरसम्भवम् सौवर्णं राजतं वापि पितॄणां पात्रमुच्यते //

Transliteration

jalajaṃ vātha kurvīta tathā sāgarasambhavam sauvarṇaṃ rājataṃ vāpi pitṝṇāṃ pātramucyate //

Translation

One should prepare a vessel made of lotus-born material, or of that which arises from the ocean; and a vessel of gold or of silver is also declared suitable for the Pitṛs in ancestral rites.

Word by Word

• jalajam: lotus-born (i.e., made from lotus/plant material)

• vā/atha: or/indeed

• kurvīta: one should make/prepare

• tathā: likewise

• sāgara-sambhavam: produced from the ocean (commonly understood as conch/sea-shell or pearl-derived material)

• sauvarṇam: golden

• rājataṃ: silver

• vā api: or also

• pitṝṇām: of the Pitṛs/ancestors

• pātram: vessel/receptacle

• ucyate: is said/declared

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within Śrāddha guidance)

Entities Mentioned

• Pitṛs

Tags

• Shraddha
• Pitru
• Ritual vessels
• Dharma
• Matsya Purana rites

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it is a ritual directive specifying which kinds of vessels are considered appropriate for offerings to the Pitṛs during Śrāddha.

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

It frames a practical dharma-duty: householders (and kings as exemplars of dharma) should perform ancestral rites correctly, including selecting ritually suitable vessels—such as those made from lotus/plant material, ocean-derived substances, or precious metals like gold and silver.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual-technical: the verse classifies approved materials for the Śrāddha offering vessel (pātra), highlighting purity and auspiciousness in the material culture of ancestral worship.