Shloka 13

Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows

Devanagari script

वर्जयेद्यस्तु पुष्पाणि हेमन्तशिशिरावृतू पुष्पत्रयं च फाल्गुन्यां कृत्वा शक्त्या च काञ्चनम् //

Transliteration

varjayedyastu puṣpāṇi hemantaśiśirāvṛtū puṣpatrayaṃ ca phālgunyāṃ kṛtvā śaktyā ca kāñcanam //

Translation

But one who refrains from offering flowers during the Hemanta and Śiśira seasons should, in the month of Phālguna, make a triple offering of flowers and—according to one’s capacity—also offer gold as a compensatory gift.

Word by Word

• varjayet: should refrain/avoid

• yaḥ tu: but whoever

• puṣpāṇi: flowers (for worship)

• hemanta-śiśira-āvṛtū: in the seasons Hemanta and Śiśira (early and late winter)

• puṣpa-trayam: threefold set/three (offerings) of flowers

• phālgunyām: in (the month of) Phālguna

• kṛtvā: having done/making

• śaktyā: according to ability/capacity

• ca: and

• kāñcanam: gold (as a gift/donation)

Speaker

• Suta (narrating Matsya Purana’s ritual injunctions; ultimately framed as Matsya’s teaching to Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Hemanta
• Shishira
• Phalguna

Tags

• Vrata
• Dana
• Seasonal worship
• Prayaschitta
• Puja rules

FAQs

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

This verse does not address Pralaya; it focuses on ritual discipline—how to compensate for omitted seasonal flower-offerings through a later intensified offering and a capacity-based donation.

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

It teaches practical dharma: if regular worship offerings are missed in certain seasons, a householder (and likewise a king as a public exemplar) should perform a make-up rite in Phalguna and give charity (gold) proportional to means, emphasizing accountability and regulated devotion.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual (not architectural): it prescribes a compensatory procedure—triple flower-offering in Phalguna plus a gold donation—reflecting Purāṇic rules for rectifying lapses in pūjā through prayāścitta-like acts.