Shloka 22

Matsya Purana — The Observance of Ananta-Tritiya

Devanagari script

नभस्ये पूजयेद्गौरीम् उत्पलैरसितैः सदा बन्धुजीवैराश्वयुजे कार्त्तिके शतपत्त्रकैः //

Transliteration

nabhasye pūjayedgaurīm utpalairasitaiḥ sadā bandhujīvairāśvayuje kārttike śatapattrakaiḥ //

Translation

In the month of Nabhasya (Bhādrapada), one should always worship Goddess Gaurī with dark-blue lotuses; in Āśvayuja (Āśvina) with bandhujīva flowers; and in Kārttika with śatapattraka (hundred-petalled) flowers.

Word by Word

• नभस्ये (nabhasye): in the month Nabhasya/Bhādrapada

• पूजयेत् (pūjayet): should worship

• गौरीम् (gaurīm): Goddess Gaurī (Pārvatī)

• उत्पलैः (utpalaiḥ): with lotuses

• असितैः (asitaiḥ): dark/blackish (deep blue)

• सदा (sadā): always/regularly

• बन्धुजीवैः (bandhujīvaiḥ): with bandhujīva flowers

• आश्वयुजे (āśvayuje): in the month Āśvayuja/Āśvina

• कार्त्तिके (kārttike): in the month Kārttika

• शतपत्त्रकैः (śatapattrakaiḥ): with śatapattraka, ‘hundred-petalled’ flowers (commonly identified with lotus/rose-like many-petalled blossoms).

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating the Matsya Purāṇa’s vrata/pūjā prescriptions; framed within the Purāṇic discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Gaurī
• Bandhujīva
• Utpala
• Kārttika
• Āśvina
• Bhādrapada (Nabhasya)

Tags

• Vrata
• Gauri Puja
• Flower offerings
• Ritual calendar
• Puranic worship

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it belongs to a ritual-calendar context, prescribing month-wise floral offerings for Gaurī worship.

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

It supports the householder’s (and ruler’s) dharma by giving a disciplined, time-specific pūjā routine—monthly observances with appropriate offerings, emphasizing regular devotion and ritual correctness.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual (pūjā-vidhi): selecting seasonally appropriate flowers for worship—dark utpala in Bhādrapada, bandhujīva in Āśvina, and many-petalled flowers in Kārttika—reflecting a structured liturgical calendar.