Shloka 8

Matsya Purana — The Procedure and Merit of the Śubha-Saptamī Vrata

Devanagari script

संवत्सरान्ते शयनम् इक्षुदण्डगुडान्वितम् सोपधानकविश्रामं भाजनासनसंयुतम् //

Transliteration

saṃvatsarānte śayanam ikṣudaṇḍaguḍānvitam sopadhānakaviśrāmaṃ bhājanāsanasaṃyutam //

Translation

At the end of the year, one should gift a bed furnished with sugarcane-stalks and jaggery, complete with a pillow and a resting-support, and accompanied by vessels and a seat.

Word by Word

• saṃvatsara-ante: at the end of the year

• śayanam: a bed, sleeping-couch

• ikṣu-daṇḍa: sugarcane stalk(s)

• guḍa: jaggery, unrefined sugar

• anvitam: endowed with, furnished with

• sa-upadhānaka: together with a pillow/cushion

• viśrāmam: a rest/support for reclining (resting arrangement)

• bhājana: vessel(s), utensils

• āsana: seat, chair/stool

• saṃyutam: joined with, accompanied by

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu

Tags

• Dana
• Householder Dharma
• Ritual Gifts
• Vrata
• Merit (Punya)

FAQs

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

This verse does not describe Pralaya; it belongs to a Dharma-oriented passage on charity (dāna), prescribing a specific year-end gift and its proper completeness.

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

It reflects the householder’s (and by extension a king’s) duty to practice well-appointed charity: gifts should be useful, complete, and timely—here, a full resting setup with accessories and utensils given at the year’s end.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it specifies śayana-dāna (donation of a bed) with requisite accompaniments (pillow/rest-support, seat, vessels), emphasizing that prescribed gifts should be furnished as a complete functional set.