Shloka 42

Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows

Devanagari script

कार्त्तिक्यादितृतीयायां प्राश्य गोमूत्रयावकम् नक्तं चरेदब्दमेकम् अब्दान्ते गोप्रदो भवेत् //

Transliteration

kārttikyāditṛtīyāyāṃ prāśya gomūtrayāvakam naktaṃ caredabdamekam abdānte goprado bhavet //

Translation

Beginning from the third lunar day in the month of Kārttika, having partaken of barley prepared with cow’s urine, one should observe the ‘night-only’ regimen for one full year; at the end of the year, one should give a cow in donation.

Word by Word

• kārttikī-ādi-tṛtīyāyām: on the third (tithi) starting in (the month of) Kārttika

• prāśya: having eaten/partaken

• go-mūtra: cow’s urine

• yāvakam: barley (food/preparation)

• naktaṃ: at night only (night-meal observance)

• caret: should practice/undertake

• abdam ekam: one year

• abdānte: at the end of the year

• go-pradaḥ: a giver of a cow (one who performs go-dāna)

• bhavet: should become/should be

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within the dharma-vrata discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Kārttika (month)
• Tṛtīyā (third lunar day)
• Go (cow)
• Go-dāna (cow donation)

Tags

• Vrata
• Karttika
• Nakta
• Go-dana
• Prayaschitta

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it belongs to the Matsya Purana’s vrata-dharma material, prescribing a year-long austerity and concluding go-dāna.

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

It frames a disciplined household/royal observance: regulated diet (barley with gomūtra), a nakta regimen for a year, and the dharmic duty of charity—culminating in gifting a cow (go-dāna).

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is vrata-practice: timing from Kārttika tṛtīyā, a prescribed austerity (nakta), and the completion rite of go-dāna; no Vāstu or temple-architecture rule is stated in this verse.