Shloka 59

Matsya Purana — Sādhāraṇa Śrāddha: General Ancestral Rite

Devanagari script

ततस्तानग्रतः स्थित्वा परिगृह्योदपात्रकम् वाजे वाज इति जपन् कुशाग्रेण विसर्जयेत् //

Transliteration

tatastānagrataḥ sthitvā parigṛhyodapātrakam vāje vāja iti japan kuśāgreṇa visarjayet //

Translation

Then, standing before them, one should take up the vessel of water; murmuring the mantra “vāje vāja”, one should release and offer the water by means of the tip of a kuśa blade.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then

• tān: them (those persons/recipients)

• agrataḥ: in front (facing)

• sthitvā: having stood

• parigṛhya: having taken/held

• uda-pātrakam: a water-vessel (cup/pot for libation)

• vāje vāja: “vāje vāja” (a Vedic mantra formula associated with vāja—vigor/food/strength)

• iti: thus

• japan: muttering/reciting softly

• kuśa-agreṇa: with the tip of kuśa grass

• visarjayet: one should discharge/let go/offer (the water).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrative transmission of ritual instruction; framed within Matsya Purana’s dialogue tradition)

Entities Mentioned

• Kuśa grass
• Udaka (ritual water)
• Vāja-mantra (vāje vāja)

Tags

• Ritual
• Grihya
• Mantra
• Udaka
• Purana Practice

FAQs

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

This verse is not about cosmic creation or pralaya; it preserves a practical rite: how to discharge ritual water with mantra-recitation, reflecting dharma as lived practice rather than cosmology.

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

It aligns with the householder’s (and by extension a king’s) duty to maintain correct ritual order—performing offerings with proper posture, vessel, mantra, and purity implements like kuśa.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it specifies a technical method: holding an udaka-vessel, reciting “vāje vāja,” and releasing the water using the kuśa tip—details important for correct performance of libations/offerings.