Shloka 10

Matsya Purana — The Sarasvata Vrata: Vow for Sweet Speech

Devanagari script

एवं सम्पूज्य गायत्रीं वीणाक्षमणिधारिणीम् शुक्लपुष्पाक्षतैर् भक्त्या सकमण्डलुपुस्तकाम् मौनव्रतेन भुञ्जीत सायं प्रातस्तु धर्मवित् //

Transliteration

evaṃ sampūjya gāyatrīṃ vīṇākṣamaṇidhāriṇīm śuklapuṣpākṣatair bhaktyā sakamaṇḍalupustakām maunavratena bhuñjīta sāyaṃ prātastu dharmavit //

Translation

Having thus duly worshipped Goddess Gāyatrī—who bears the vīṇā, the rosary, and the jewel—adorning her with white flowers and unbroken rice-grains in devotion, and contemplating her as holding the water-pot (kamaṇḍalu) and the sacred book, the knower of dharma should take his meal in silence (mauna-vrata), both in the evening and in the morning.

Word by Word

• evaṃ: thus

• sampūjya: having fully worshipped

• gāyatrīm: Gāyatrī (the sacred meter/deity)

• vīṇā: lute (vīṇā)

• akṣa-māṇi: rosary/beads

• dhāriṇīm: bearing/holding

• śukla-puṣpaiḥ: with white flowers

• akṣataiḥ: with unbroken rice-grains (akṣata)

• bhaktyā: with devotion

• sa-kamaṇḍalu: together with a water-pot (kamaṇḍalu)

• pustakām: having a book/scripture

• mauna-vratena: by the vow of silence

• bhuñjīta: should eat/partake (of food)

• sāyam: in the evening

• prātaḥ: in the morning

• tu: and/indeed

• dharma-vit: knower of dharma, righteous person.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Gāyatrī

Tags

• Gayatri
• Puja
• Vrata
• Mauna
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it focuses on daily ritual discipline—specifically the worship of Gāyatrī and the observance of silence while eating.

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

It prescribes a dharmic routine: worshipping Gāyatrī with purity symbols (white flowers, akṣata) and maintaining self-control (mauna) during meals at the key daily junctions of morning and evening—conduct applicable to both rulers and householders as part of disciplined living.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it gives a specific Gāyatrī-pūjā method and iconographic cues (vīṇā, rosary, jewel, kamaṇḍalu, book), plus the practice of mauna-vrata while eating—useful for designing worship protocols and deity descriptions in temple or home-altar contexts.