Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

*ईश्वर उवाच अथातः सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि लवणाचलमुत्तमम् यत्प्रदानान्नरो लोकान् आप्नोति शिवसंयुतान् //

Transliteration

*īśvara uvāca athātaḥ sampravakṣyāmi lavaṇācalamuttamam yatpradānānnaro lokān āpnoti śivasaṃyutān //

Translation

The Lord said: Now I shall fully expound the supreme Lavaṇācala; by making its donation, a man attains worlds endowed with Śiva—namely, the auspicious state and realms associated with Śiva.

Word by Word

• ईश्वर (īśvara): the Lord

• उवाच (uvāca): said

• अथातः (athātaḥ): now, thereafter

• सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि (sampravakṣyāmi): I shall explain in full

• लवणाचलम् (lavaṇācalam): Mount Lavaṇācala

• उत्तमम् (uttamam): most excellent, supreme

• यत् (yat): which

• प्रदानात्/प्रदानान् (pradānāt/pradānān): by (its) giving/donation

• नरः (naraḥ): a man

• लोकान् (lokān): worlds/realms

• आप्नोति (āpnoti): attains

• शिवसंयुतान् (śiva-saṃyutān): accompanied by Śiva / endowed with auspiciousness (Śiva).

Speaker

• Īśvara (the Lord; in Matsya Purana dialogue context, the divine teacher—often identified with Lord Matsya/Vishnu speaking to Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Īśvara
• Lavaṇācala
• Śiva

Tags

• Dana
• Tirtha-Mahatmya
• Shiva
• Punya
• Sacred Geography

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it introduces a sacred-mahātmya topic, stating that donating (in connection with) Lavaṇācala yields attainment of auspicious, Śiva-associated realms.

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

It frames dāna (charitable giving) as a dharmic duty: a householder (and also a king as patron) gains religious merit by making prescribed donations linked to sacred places/objects such as Lavaṇācala.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is dāna-māhātmya: the chapter opens by promising the fruit of a specific donation; no Vāstu/temple-building detail appears in this opening verse itself.