Shloka 3

Matsya Purana — The Rite of Donating the Golden Mountain

Devanagari script

धान्यपर्वतवत्सर्वं विदध्यान्मुनिपुंगव विष्कम्भशैलास्तद्वच्च ऋत्विग्भ्यः प्रतिपादयेत् //

Transliteration

dhānyaparvatavatsarvaṃ vidadhyānmunipuṃgava viṣkambhaśailāstadvacca ṛtvigbhyaḥ pratipādayet //

Translation

O best of sages, one should arrange everything in the manner of a ‘mountain of grain’; and likewise, those ‘Viṣkambha-mountains’ should also be duly presented to the officiating priests (ṛtviks).

Word by Word

• धान्य (dhānya): grain, cereals

• पर्वतवत् (parvatavat): like a mountain, in the form of a mountain-heap

• सर्वम् (sarvam): everything, the whole arrangement/collection

• विदध्यात् (vidadhyāt): should prepare, should arrange/construct

• मुनिपुंगव (munipuṅgava): O foremost sage

• विष्कम्भ (viṣkambha): support, prop, buttress

• शैलाः (śailāḥ): mountains, rock-mounds

• तद्वत् (tadvat): in the same way

• च (ca): and

• ऋत्विग्भ्यः (ṛtvigbhyaḥ): to the officiating priests

• प्रतिपादयेत् (pratipādayet): should bestow, should present as a gift.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (within the Sūta-style Purāṇic narration)

Entities Mentioned

• Ṛtviks (officiating priests)
• Dhānya-parvata (mountain of grain)
• Viṣkambha-śaila (supporting/buttress mountain-mounds)

Tags

• Dāna
• Ritual
• Yajña
• Priesthood
• Merit

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it focuses on dāna (ritual gifting), prescribing symbolic ‘mountains’ (heaps) such as a grain-mountain to be offered to priests.

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

It frames a dharmic duty of patrons—kings or householders—to formally prepare substantial offerings (like a ‘mountain of grain’) and to remunerate the ṛtviks, reinforcing yajña-support and social-religious reciprocity.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it prescribes constructing donation-heaps in specific symbolic forms (‘parvata’/‘śaila’), indicating a codified procedure for presenting large, structured gifts to officiants rather than casual giving.