Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

यावद्रोमाणि तस्या गोः सन्ति गात्रेषु सत्तम तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते //

Transliteration

yāvadromāṇi tasyā goḥ santi gātreṣu sattama tāvadvarṣasahasrāṇi svargaloke mahīyate //

Translation

O best of the virtuous: for as many hairs as are upon the limbs of that cow, for that many thousands of years the donor is honored and exalted in the heavenly world.

Word by Word

• yāvat: as many/as long as

• romāṇi: hairs

• tasyāḥ: of that

• goḥ: cow

• santi: are

• gātreṣu: on the limbs/body

• sattama: O best among the good/virtuous

• tāvat: so many/that many

• varṣa-sahasrāṇi: thousands of years

• svarga-loke: in the world of heaven

• mahīyate: is honored/glorified/exalted

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution within Matsya Purana’s dharma-upadeśa dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• Go (Cow)
• Svarga (Heaven)

Tags

• Go-dana
• Dana
• Dharma
• Phala-shruti
• Svarga

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it teaches dāna-dharma, stating the heavenly reward gained through the gift of a cow.

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

It supports the householder/kingly duty of dāna (charitable giving): go-dāna is presented as a highly meritorious act that yields prolonged honor in Svarga, encouraging rulers and householders to sustain society through righteous generosity.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No vāstu or temple-architecture rule appears here; the ritual significance is the phala-śruti of go-dāna—quantifying its merit as thousands of years in heaven proportional to the cow’s hairs.