Shloka 14

Matsya Purana — The Greatness of Prayaga and the Supremacy of Cow-Donation

Devanagari script

सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताश्च यदि वान्यत्परिग्रहम् स्वकार्ये पितृकार्ये वा देवताभ्यर्चने ऽपि वा सफलं तस्य तत्तीर्थं यथावत्पुण्यमाप्नुयात् //

Transliteration

suvarṇamaṇimuktāśca yadi vānyatparigraham svakārye pitṛkārye vā devatābhyarcane 'pi vā saphalaṃ tasya tattīrthaṃ yathāvatpuṇyamāpnuyāt //

Translation

Whether one takes up gold, jewels, pearls, or any other possessions—be it for one’s own rites, for rites offered to the ancestors, or even for the worship of the deities—if it is done in the proper manner, that sacred ford (tīrtha) makes it fruitful, and one duly attains the full religious merit.

Word by Word

• suvarṇa: gold

• maṇi: gem/jewel

• muktāḥ: pearls

• ca: and

• yadi vā: or if

• anyat: other

• parigraham: acquisition/possessions (things taken/held)

• sva-kārye: in one’s own religious duty/rite

• pitṛ-kārye: in ancestral rites (śrāddha etc.)

• vā: or

• devatābhyarcane: in worship/adoration of deities

• api: even

• vā: or

• saphalam: fruitful, efficacious

• tasya: for that (person/act)

• tat-tīrtham: that tīrtha/sacred place

• yathāvat: duly, according to rule

• puṇyam: merit

• āpnuyāt: one obtains/attains.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Devatās (deities)
• Tīrtha (sacred ford/place)

Tags

• Tirtha
• Dāna
• Pitṛkarman
• Devatā-pūjā
• Puṇya

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it teaches tīrtha-mahātmyā—how proper performance of rites and offerings at a sacred place yields full puṇya.

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

It frames a householder/king’s dharma as including regulated use of wealth (gold, gems, possessions) for sva-kārya (personal rites), pitṛ-kārya (ancestral duties like śrāddha), and devatā-arcana (worship), emphasizing that correctness (yathāvat) makes the act spiritually effective.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it stresses yathāvat-vidhi (doing rites according to rule) and the sanctifying efficacy of a tīrtha; it does not directly address Vāstu or temple architecture, but supports the broader Matsya Purana theme that proper ritual context makes offerings ‘saphala’ (fruitful).