Shloka 15

Matsya Purana — The Sun-Vow

Devanagari script

सम्पूज्य रक्ताम्बरमाल्यधूपैर् द्विजं च रक्तैरथ हेमशृङ्गैः संकल्पयित्वा पुरुषं सपद्मं दद्यादनेकव्रतदानकाय अव्यङ्गरूपाय जितेन्द्रियाय कुटुम्बिने देयमनुद्धताय //

Transliteration

sampūjya raktāmbaramālyadhūpair dvijaṃ ca raktairatha hemaśṛṅgaiḥ saṃkalpayitvā puruṣaṃ sapadmaṃ dadyādanekavratadānakāya avyaṅgarūpāya jitendriyāya kuṭumbine deyamanuddhatāya //

Translation

After duly worshipping with red garments, garlands, and incense, and likewise honoring a brāhmaṇa (dvija) with red offerings and a gift bearing golden horns, one should, having made the formal resolve (saṅkalpa), donate the lotus-bearing Puruṣa (an image of Viṣṇu) as a gift embodying the fruit of many vows and charities. It should be given to one whose body is unblemished, who is self-controlled, who maintains a household, and who is humble, not arrogant.

Word by Word

• सम्पूज्य (sampūjya): having duly worshipped

• रक्त-अम्बर (rakta-ambara): red garments

• माल्य (mālya): garlands

• धूपैः (dhūpaiḥ): with incense/fumigation

• द्विजम् (dvijam): a brāhmaṇa (twice-born)

• च (ca): and

• रक्तैः (raktaiḥ): with red offerings/objects

• अथ (atha): then

• हेम-शृङ्गैः (hema-śṛṅgaiḥ): with golden horns (i.e., a cow/bull or a gift ornamented with gold horns)

• संकल्पयित्वा (saṃkalpayitvā): having made a solemn resolve (saṅkalpa)

• पुरुषम् (puruṣam): the Puruṣa (Vishnu/personified deity)

• स-पद्मम् (sa-pad्मam): with a lotus (lotus-bearing)

• दद्याद् (dadyād): one should give/donate

• अनेक-व्रत-दाना-काय (aneka-vrata-dāna-kāya): embodying the merit/body of many vows and gifts

• अव्यङ्ग-रूपाय (avyaṅga-rūpāya): to one of unblemished form (free from deformity)

• जितेन्द्रियाय (jitendriyāya): to one who has conquered the senses

• कुटुम्बिने (kuṭumbine): to a householder/supporter of a family

• देयम् (deyam): to be given

• अनुद्धताय (anuddhatāya): to the humble, not puffed up/proud

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)
• Puruṣa (Vishnu)
• Padma (Lotus)

Tags

• Dāna
• Vrata
• Ritual Worship
• Iconography
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it prescribes a dharmic donation-ritual (dāna) involving worship materials and the gifting of a lotus-bearing Puruṣa (Vishnu-image) to a qualified brāhmaṇa.

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

It frames charity as a regulated duty: the donor should perform proper worship and saṅkalpa, and give to a worthy recipient—self-controlled, unblemished, humble, and a responsible householder—showing the Purāṇic emphasis on ethical giving rather than indiscriminate gifting.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it highlights saṅkalpa, specific auspicious materials (red cloth/garlands/incense), and the iconographic feature of a lotus-bearing Puruṣa; it also implies standards for image-gifts (pratimā-dāna), a theme closely linked to temple/ritual practice in Purāṇic traditions.