Shloka 2

Matsya Purana — The Greatness of Mount Kārpāsa and the Rite of the ‘Kārpāsa-Śailendra’

Devanagari script

कार्पासपर्वतस् तद्वद् विंशद्भारैर् इहोत्तमः दशभिर्मध्यमः प्रोक्तः पञ्चभिस्त्वधमः स्मृतः भारेणाल्पधनो दद्याद् वित्तशाठ्यविवर्जितः //

Transliteration

kārpāsaparvatas tadvad viṃśadbhārair ihottamaḥ daśabhirmadhyamaḥ proktaḥ pañcabhistvadhamaḥ smṛtaḥ bhāreṇālpadhano dadyād vittaśāṭhyavivarjitaḥ //

Translation

Likewise, for a ‘mountain’ (heap) of cotton, a gift of twenty bhāras is considered the best here; ten bhāras is declared middling, and five bhāras is remembered as inferior. One of modest means should give according to (even) a single bhāra, free from deceit concerning wealth.

Word by Word

• kārpāsa: cotton

• parvataḥ: a mountain/heap (large pile)

• tadvat: likewise/in the same manner

• viṃśad-bhāraiḥ: with twenty bhāras (as a weight/measure)

• iha: here (in this teaching)

• uttamaḥ: best/supreme (grade of gift)

• daśabhiḥ: with ten

• madhyamaḥ: middling/medium

• proktaḥ: is said/declared

• pañcabhiḥ: with five

• tu: indeed

• adhamaḥ: inferior

• smṛtaḥ: is remembered/held to be

• bhāreṇa: by (one) bhāra / according to one bhāra

• alpa-dhanaḥ: one of little wealth

• dadyāt: should give

• vitta-śāṭhya-vivarjitaḥ: devoid of fraud/deceit regarding wealth.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Cotton (kārpāsa)
• Bhāra (traditional weight measure)

Tags

• Dāna
• Dharma
• Merit
• Householder duties
• Ethics

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it focuses on dāna-dharma—grading charitable gifts by measured quantities and insisting on honesty in giving.

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

It sets practical standards for charity: the wealthy are encouraged toward higher grades of giving, while a person of limited means should still give proportionately—without misrepresentation or stinginess disguised as generosity.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-architecture rule appears here; the ritual significance is the quantified standardization of gifts (cotton measured in bhāras) as part of dharmic giving.