Shloka 16

Matsya Purana — The Madana-Dvādaśī Vow and the Birth of the Maruts

Devanagari script

कामाय पादौ सम्पूज्य जङ्घे सौभाग्यदाय च ऊरू स्मरायेति पुनर् मन्मथायेति वै कटिम् //

Transliteration

kāmāya pādau sampūjya jaṅghe saubhāgyadāya ca ūrū smarāyeti punar manmathāyeti vai kaṭim //

Translation

Having duly worshipped the feet with the mantra “(salutation) to Kāma,” one should worship the shanks with “(salutation) to the giver of good fortune.” The thighs are to be worshipped with “(salutation) to Smara,” and again the hips/waist with “(salutation) to Manmatha.”

Word by Word

• कामाय (kāmāya): to Kāma (the Love-god)

• पादौ (pādau): the two feet

• सम्पूज्य (sampūjya): having worshipped duly/fully

• जङ्घे (jaṅghe): the shanks/legs below the knees

• सौभाग्यदाय (saubhāgyadāya): to the giver of auspicious fortune

• च (ca): and

• ऊरू (ūrū): the thighs

• स्मराय (smarāya): to Smara (another name of Kāma)

• इति (iti): thus (as the mantra-formula)

• पुनर् (punar): again

• मन्मथाय (manmathāya): to Manmatha (another name of Kāma)

• एव (eva): indeed

• कटिम् (kaṭim): the waist/hips

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Kāma
• Smara
• Manmatha

Tags

• Iconography
• Ritual
• Mantra
• Nyasa
• Pratima Lakshana

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it belongs to ritual/iconographic instruction, prescribing mantra-based worship of specific limbs of a deity (here, Kāma/Manmatha) as part of consecration or daily pūjā.

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

It frames a householder’s (and by extension a king’s) duty of correct pūjā: worship is performed with precision—limb by limb, name by name—reflecting disciplined dharma in ritual conduct and patronage of proper temple/home worship.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it illustrates a nyāsa/limb-wise worship sequence using specific epithets (Kāma, Saubhāgyadā, Smara, Manmatha), a common Pratima-Lakṣaṇa practice that supports accurate temple liturgy and deity-icon worship protocols.