Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

अनेन विधिना दद्याद् घृताचलमनुत्तमम् महापातकयुक्तो ऽपि लोकमाप्नोति शांकरम् //

Transliteration

anena vidhinā dadyād ghṛtācalamanuttamam mahāpātakayukto 'pi lokamāpnoti śāṃkaram //

Translation

If one gives the unsurpassed “mountain of ghee” (ghṛtācala) according to this prescribed procedure, then even a person burdened with great sins attains the world of Śaṅkara (Śiva).

Word by Word

• अनेन (anena): by this

• विधिना (vidhinā): by the prescribed rule/rite

• दद्याद् (dadyād): should give

• घृताचलम् (ghṛtācalam): a ‘mountain’ (heap/representation) of ghee offered as a gift

• अनुत्तमम् (anuttamam): unsurpassed, excellent

• महापातकयुक्तः (mahāpātaka-yuktaḥ): connected with/tainted by great sins

• अपि (api): even

• लोकम् (lokam): world, realm

• आप्नोति (āpnoti): attains

• शांकरम् (śāṃkaram): belonging to Śaṅkara, i.e., Śiva’s realm

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu on dāna-vidhi and its fruits

Entities Mentioned

• Matsya
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Shankara (Shiva)

Tags

• Dana
• Prayashchitta
• Ritual
• Dharma
• Moksha

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it belongs to dāna-dharma and emphasizes how a properly performed ritual gift (ghṛtācala-dāna) yields salvific merit, even overriding heavy karmic demerit.

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

It frames charity as a central gṛhastha and rājadharma practice: following a correct vidhī for high-value dāna can function as both social duty (supporting ritual specialists and dharma) and personal purification leading toward higher realms.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual, not architectural: ‘ghṛtācala’ implies a prescribed, constructed offering (a mound/representation of ghee) whose efficacy depends on exact procedure (vidhi), highlighting Matsya Purana’s stress on correct ritual form.