Shloka 18

Matsya Purana — The Rite of the Jaggery-Cow

Devanagari script

प्रथमा गुडधेनुः स्याद् घृतधेनुस् तथापरा तिलधेनुस्तृतीया तु चतुर्थी जलसंज्ञिता //

Transliteration

prathamā guḍadhenuḥ syād ghṛtadhenus tathāparā tiladhenustṛtīyā tu caturthī jalasaṃjñitā //

Translation

The first is called the ‘jaggery-cow’ (guḍa-dhenu); the next is the ‘ghee-cow’ (ghṛta-dhenu). The third is the ‘sesame-cow’ (tila-dhenu), and the fourth is known as the ‘water-cow’ (jala-saṃjñitā).

Word by Word

prathamāthe first

guḍa-dhenuḥ‘jaggery-cow’ (a cow-donation symbolically associated with molasses/jaggery)

syātis/should be called

ghṛta-dhenuḥ‘ghee-cow’ (cow-donation associated with clarified butter)

tathālikewise

aparāthe next/second

tila-dhenuḥ‘sesame-cow’ (cow-donation associated with sesame)

tṛtīyāthe third

tuand/indeed

caturthīthe fourth

jala-saṃjñitānamed/known as ‘water’ (the water-cow).

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s teaching on dāna-dharma, traditionally framed as instruction aligned with Lord Matsya’s discourse to Manu)

Entities Mentioned

Guḍa-dhenuGhṛta-dhenuTila-dhenuJala-dhenu

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it classifies four meritorious ‘dhenu-dāna’ types used in ritual charity traditions within the Matsya Purana’s dāna-dharma teachings.

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

It supports gṛhastha and rājadharma through prescribed charity: the householder (and king) gains religious merit by making properly designated gifts—here, specific ‘cow’ donations symbolically linked to staple sacred substances (jaggery, ghee, sesame, water).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual rather than architectural: it enumerates named forms of dhenu-dāna used in ceremonial gifting, where the ‘cow’ is ritually associated with particular substances (guḍa, ghṛta, tila, jala) to accrue specific merit.