Shloka 37

Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows

Devanagari script

आषाढादिचतुर्मासं प्रातःस्नायी भवेन्नरः विप्रेषु भोजनं दद्यात् कार्त्तिक्यां गोप्रदो भवेत् स वैष्णवं पदं याति विष्णुव्रतमिदं शुभम् //

Transliteration

āṣāḍhādicaturmāsaṃ prātaḥsnāyī bhavennaraḥ vipreṣu bhojanaṃ dadyāt kārttikyāṃ goprado bhavet sa vaiṣṇavaṃ padaṃ yāti viṣṇuvratamidaṃ śubham //

Translation

If a man, throughout the four months beginning with Āṣāḍha, bathes at dawn, gives food to the Brāhmaṇas, and in Kārttika donates a cow, he attains the Vaiṣṇava abode. This auspicious observance is the Viṣṇu-vrata, the vow of Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• आषाढादि-चतुर्मासम्: the four-month period beginning with Āṣāḍha (Cāturmāsya)

• प्रातः-स्नायी: one who bathes in the morning (at dawn)

• भवेत् नरः: a man should become/should be

• विप्रेषु: to/for Brahmins

• भोजनम्: food, a meal

• दद्यात्: should give

• कार्त्तिक्याम्: in (the month of) Kārttika

• गो-प्रदः: giver of a cow (one who donates a cow)

• भवेत्: should be/becomes

• सः: he

• वैष्णवम् पदम्: the Vaiṣṇava state/abode (Viṣṇu’s realm)

• याति: goes/attains

• विष्णु-व्रतम्: the vow/observance dedicated to Viṣṇu

• इदम्: this

• शुभम्: auspicious, beneficent

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution within Matsya Purana’s Manu dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Vipra (Brahmins)
• Cāturmāsya
• Āṣāḍha
• Kārttika
• Go-dāna (cow donation)
• Vaiṣṇava pada

Tags

• Dharma
• Vrata
• Cāturmāsya
• Go-dāna
• Dāna
• Vaiṣṇavism

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it teaches a merit-producing Vaiṣṇava vow (Viṣṇu-vrata) centered on Cāturmāsya discipline, charity, and Kārttika go-dāna.

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

It presents householder-style dharma: daily purity through dawn bathing, sustaining the learned (vipras) through food-gifts, and performing go-dāna in Kārttika—actions framed as leading to the Vaiṣṇava abode.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual rather than architectural: Cāturmāsya observance (regulated conduct for four months), dāna to Brahmins, and the especially meritorious Kārttika cow-donation as part of a Viṣṇu-focused vrata.