Shloka 28

Matsya Purana — The Greatness of the Vibhūti-Dvādaśī Vow: Pushkara

Devanagari script

भोजनं च सुहृन्मित्रदीनान्धकृपणैः समम् तच्च लुब्धकदाम्पत्यं पूजयित्वा विसर्जितम् //

Transliteration

bhojanaṃ ca suhṛnmitradīnāndhakṛpaṇaiḥ samam tacca lubdhakadāmpatyaṃ pūjayitvā visarjitam //

Translation

He should share his meal equally with well-wishers and friends, and also with the poor, the blind, and the destitute; and having duly honoured even the greedy hunter-couple, he should then respectfully send them on their way.

Word by Word

• bhojanam: food, meal

• ca: and

• suhṛt: well-wisher, benevolent friend

• mitra: friend

• dīna: poor, helpless

• andha: blind

• kṛpaṇa: wretched, destitute

• samam: equally, without partiality

• tat: that

• ca: and

• lubdhaka: hunter (also ‘one given to greed’ by sense)

• dāmpatya: a married couple, husband-and-wife pair

• pūjayitvā: having honoured, having shown due respect

• visarjitam: dismissed, sent away (politely, after hospitality)

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Suhṛt (well-wishers)
• Mitra (friends)
• Dīna (the poor)
• Andha (the blind)
• Kṛpaṇa (the destitute)
• Lubdhaka (hunter)
• Dāmpatya (couple)

Tags

• Dharma
• Atithi
• Householder
• Charity
• Hospitality

FAQs

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

Nothing directly—this shloka is ethical instruction (gṛhastha-dharma), emphasizing compassion and impartial sharing of food rather than cosmology or Pralaya.

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

It teaches the householder (and by extension a righteous ruler) to practice non-discriminatory hospitality—feeding friends and the vulnerable (poor, blind, destitute) and honoring even socially marginal guests, reflecting dharma as social welfare and self-restraint.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it supports atithi-satkāra (guest-honoring) and charitable feeding as a dharmic act; it does not give Vastu/temple-building rules in this verse.