Shloka 10

Matsya Purana — The Rite of Donating the ‘Mountain of Ghee’

Devanagari script

हंससारसयुक्तेन किङ्किणीजालमालिना विमानेनाप्सरोभिश्च सिद्धविद्याधरैर् वृतः विहरेत्पितृभिः सार्धं यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् //

Transliteration

haṃsasārasayuktena kiṅkiṇījālamālinā vimānenāpsarobhiśca siddhavidyādharair vṛtaḥ viharetpitṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ yāvadābhūtasaṃplavam //

Translation

Mounted in a celestial chariot (vimāna) yoked with swans (haṃsa) and sārasas (cranes), adorned with garlands of tinkling bells, and surrounded by apsarases as well as Siddhas and Vidyādharas, he would sport together with the Pitṛs (ancestral spirits) until the cosmic dissolution (pralaya).

Word by Word

• हंस (haṃsa): swan

• सारस (sārasa): sārasā/crane

• युक्तेन (yuktena): yoked/harnessed with

• किङ्किणी (kiṅkiṇī): small bell/anklet-bell

• जाल (jāla): net/mesh

• मालिना (mālinā): garlanded/adorned

• विमान (vimāna): celestial car/chariot

• अप्सरोभिः (apsarobhiḥ): by/with apsarases

• च (ca): and

• सिद्ध (siddha): perfected being

• विद्याधर (vidyādhara): celestial bearer of knowledge/magic

• वृतः (vṛtaḥ): surrounded/attended

• विहरेत् (viharet): would enjoy/sport/dwell pleasantly

• पितृभिः (pitṛbhiḥ): with the ancestors (Pitṛs)

• सार्धम् (sārdham): together with

• यावत् (yāvat): until/as long as

• आभूत (ābhūta): pertaining to all beings/elements

• संप्लवम् (saṃplavam): inundation/deluge

• (आभूतसंप्लवम्): the all-being dissolution, i.e., pralaya.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution typical of Matsya Purana dialogues)

Entities Mentioned

• Pitṛs
• Apsarases
• Siddhas
• Vidyādharas
• Vimāna
• Pralaya

Tags

• Pitṛ-loka
• Śrāddha
• Afterlife rewards
• Vimāna
• Pralaya

FAQs

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

It indicates that the merit-born enjoyments in Pitṛ-loka endure only up to the cosmic dissolution (ābhūta-saṃplava), after which the cosmic cycle resets.

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

It supports the Matsya Purana’s Śrāddha/Pitṛ-dharma ethic: by properly honoring ancestors, a householder (and by extension a king as model patron of dharma) gains exalted posthumous states and companionship of the Pitṛs.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it underscores Śrāddha and Pitṛ-tarpaṇa as merit-producing acts; architecturally, the “vimāna” here is a celestial vehicle (not a temple superstructure), used as imagery for the refined, divine status attained.