Shloka 6

Matsya Purana — The Rite and Glory of Meru-Dāna: The Tenfold ‘Gift of Meru’ and Mountain-Offe...

Devanagari script

सप्तमो घृतशैलश्च रत्नशैलस्तथाष्टमः राजतो नवमस्तद्वद् दशमः शर्कराचलः //

Transliteration

saptamo ghṛtaśailaśca ratnaśailastathāṣṭamaḥ rājato navamastadvad daśamaḥ śarkarācalaḥ //

Translation

The seventh is the Ghee Mountain; the eighth is the Jewel Mountain. The ninth is the Silver Mountain; and likewise, the tenth is the Sugar Mountain.

Word by Word

• सप्तमः (saptamaḥ): the seventh

• घृत-शैलः (ghṛta-śailaḥ): the mountain of ghee (clarified butter)

• च (ca): and

• रत्न-शैलः (ratna-śailaḥ): the mountain of jewels/gems

• तथा (tathā): likewise

• अष्टमः (aṣṭamaḥ): the eighth

• राजतः (rājataḥ): of silver/silvery

• नवमः (navamaḥ): the ninth

• तद्वद् (tadvad): in the same way

• दशमः (daśamaḥ): the tenth

• शर्करा-अचलः (śarkarā-acalaḥ): the sugar(-like) mountain

Speaker

• Suta (narrator) conveying the Matsya Purana’s cosmographical list (traditionally within the Matsya–Manu discourse framework)

Entities Mentioned

• Ghṛtaśaila
• Ratnaśaila
• Rājata (Silver Mountain)
• Śarkarācala

Tags

• Cosmography
• Sacred Geography
• Puranic Mountains
• Mythic Topography
• Matsya Purana

FAQs

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

This verse is not describing Pralaya directly; it belongs to cosmographical enumeration, presenting mythic mountains that illustrate the Purana’s symbolic mapping of the world’s structure and abundance.

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

Indirectly, it supports Purāṇic dharma by framing the world as a divinely ordered realm of resources and sacred regions—knowledge traditionally recommended for rulers and householders to cultivate right worldview (loka-jñāna) and reverence for sacred geography.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual procedure is stated here; however, such cosmographical lists often inform temple and pilgrimage symbolism, where materials like silver (rājata) and gems (ratna) become ritually significant offerings and iconographic/architectural motifs.