Shloka 1

Matsya Purana — Soma

Devanagari script

*ऋषय ऊचुः कथं गच्छत्यमावास्यां मासि मासि दिवं नृपः ऐलः पुरूरवाः सूत तर्पयेत कथं पितॄन् एतदिच्छामहे श्रोतुं प्रभावं तस्य धीमतः //

Transliteration

*ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kathaṃ gacchatyamāvāsyāṃ māsi māsi divaṃ nṛpaḥ ailaḥ purūravāḥ sūta tarpayeta kathaṃ pitṝn etadicchāmahe śrotuṃ prabhāvaṃ tasya dhīmataḥ //

Translation

The sages said: “How is it that on every Amāvāsyā (new-moon day), month after month, the king Purūravas, son of Ilā, goes to heaven? And, O Sūta, how does he perform the tarpaṇa (libations) for the Pitṛs, the Ancestors? We wish to hear of the extraordinary power and efficacy of that wise one.”

Word by Word

• ऋषयः (ṛṣayaḥ): the sages

• ऊचुः (ūcuḥ): said

• कथम् (katham): how

• गच्छति (gacchati): goes

• अमावास्याम् (amāvāsyām): on the new-moon day

• मासि मासि (māsi māsi): month after month

• दिवम् (divam): to heaven

• नृपः (nṛpaḥ): the king

• ऐलः (ailaḥ): descendant/son of Ilā

• पुरूरवाः (purūravāḥ): Purūravas

• सूत (sūta): O Sūta (narrator)

• तर्पयेत (tarpayet): should satisfy/offer tarpaṇa

• कथम् (katham): how

• पितॄन् (pitṝn): the ancestors (Pitṛs)

• एतत् (etat): this

• इच्छामहे (icchāmahe): we desire

• श्रोतुम् (śrotum): to hear

• प्रभावम् (prabhāvam): power, efficacy, greatness

• तस्य (tasya): of him

• धीमतः (dhīmataḥ): the wise one.

Speaker

• The sages (ṛṣis), addressing Sūta

Entities Mentioned

• Sages (Ṛṣis)
• Sūta
• King Purūravas (Aila)
• Ilā (as lineage marker)
• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Amāvāsyā (new-moon observance)

Tags

• Śrāddha
• Pitṛ-tarpaṇa
• Amāvāsyā
• Royal Dharma
• Puranic Genealogy

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it introduces a ritual-ethical topic: the exceptional fruit (prabhāva) of Amāvāsyā observance and Pitṛ-tarpaṇa connected with King Purūravas.

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

It frames kingship and household duty around Pitṛ-kārya: regularly satisfying the ancestors through tarpaṇa—especially on Amāvāsyā—presented as a source of spiritual merit so great that Purūravas is said to attain heaven repeatedly.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual (not architectural): Amāvāsyā is highlighted as a recurring, high-efficacy time for Pitṛ-tarpaṇa, prompting an explanation of the correct procedure and its results.