Shloka 15

Matsya Purana — The Rohiṇī–Candraśayana Vow

Devanagari script

देयः प्रभाते सहिरण्यवारिकुम्भो नमः पापविनाशनाय संप्राश्य गोमूत्रममांसमन्नम् अक्षारमष्टावथ विंशतिं च ग्रासान्पयःसर्पिर्युतानुपोष्य भुक्त्वेतिहासं शृणुयान्मुहूर्तम् //

Transliteration

deyaḥ prabhāte sahiraṇyavārikumbho namaḥ pāpavināśanāya saṃprāśya gomūtramamāṃsamannam akṣāramaṣṭāvatha viṃśatiṃ ca grāsānpayaḥsarpiryutānupoṣya bhuktvetihāsaṃ śṛṇuyānmuhūrtam //

Translation

In the morning one should offer a water-pot together with gold, with the salutation, “Homage to the Destroyer of sin.” Then, having sipped cow’s urine, one should take a meal free of meat; and after fasting, consume twenty-eight mouthfuls mixed with milk and ghee. Having eaten, one should listen to the Itihāsa (sacred history) for one muhūrta (a fixed ritual period).

Word by Word

• deyaḥ: should be given/offered

• prabhāte: at dawn/in the morning

• sa-hiraṇya: together with gold

• vāri-kumbhaḥ: a pot of water

• namaḥ: salutation/homage

• pāpa-vināśanāya: to the remover/destroyer of sin

• saṃprāśya: having sipped/partaken (as a purificatory act)

• go-mūtram: cow’s urine (used ritually for purification)

• a-māṃsam: without meat/non-meat

• annam: food/meal

• akṣāram: (as written) “akṣāra” (interpretable as a measured count/unit in eating discipline)

• aṣṭau: eight

• atha: and/then

• viṃśatim: twenty

• ca: and

• grāsān: mouthfuls/boluses

• payaḥ: milk

• sarpiḥ: ghee/clarified butter

• yutān: joined with/mixed with

• upoṣya: having fasted/after observing a fast

• bhuktvā: having eaten

• itihāsam: sacred narrative/epic history

• śṛṇuyāt: should listen/hear

• muhūrtam: a muhūrta (traditional time unit/ritual interval).

Speaker

• Sūta (Purāṇic narrator) describing prescribed rites (vrata/ācāra) within the Matsya Purāṇa’s dharma instructions

Entities Mentioned

• Pāpavināśana (Sin-destroying deity/title, commonly applied to Viṣṇu/Śiva depending on context)
• Go (cow)

Tags

• Dharma
• Vrata
• Prāyaścitta
• Śauca
• Ritual

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss pralaya; it focuses on daily/vrata-style purification and expiatory discipline meant to destroy sin through offerings, regulated eating, and hearing sacred narratives.

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

It prescribes a householder-style dharma regimen: dawn offering (dāna), ritual purification (saṃprāśana), non-violent diet (amāṃsa), disciplined consumption (measured mouthfuls with milk and ghee), and svādhyāya-like listening to sacred tradition—habits recommended for ethical self-governance applicable to rulers as well.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual rather than architectural: offering a water-pot with gold (a standard dāna), purificatory sipping, fasting, regulated mouthful-count with milk and ghee, and listening to itihāsa for a muhūrta as a structured rite for pāpa-kṣaya (removal of sin).