Shloka 58

Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां च नक्ताशी यश्चक्रं विनिवेदयेत् समान्ते वैष्णवं हैमं स विष्णोः पदमाप्नुयात् एतत् कृष्णव्रतं नाम कल्पान्ते राज्यभाग्भवेत् //

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ ca naktāśī yaścakraṃ vinivedayet samānte vaiṣṇavaṃ haimaṃ sa viṣṇoḥ padamāpnuyāt etat kṛṣṇavrataṃ nāma kalpānte rājyabhāgbhavet //

Translation

Whoever, on Ekādaśī, eats only at night and offers to Viṣṇu a golden discus (cakra), in due course attains the supreme abode of Viṣṇu. This observance is called the Kṛṣṇa-vrata; at the end of the kalpa one becomes a sharer in sovereignty (royal fortune).

Word by Word

• एकादश्याम् (ekādaśyām): on Ekādaśī

• च (ca): and

• नक्ताशी (naktāśī): one who eats at night only

• यः (yaḥ): whoever

• चक्रम् (cakram): discus, cakra-emblem

• विनिवेदयेत् (vinivedayet): should offer/present (in worship)

• समान्ते (samānte): in due course, at the completion (of the observance/at its fruition)

• वैष्णवम् (vaiṣṇavam): belonging to Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava

• हैमम् (haimam): made of gold

• सः (saḥ): he

• विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ): of Viṣṇu

• पदम् (padam): abode/realm/goal

• आप्नुयात् (āpnuyāt): attains

• एतत् (etat): this

• कृष्णव्रतम् (kṛṣṇa-vratam): Kṛṣṇa-vrata (a Vaiṣṇava vow)

• नाम (nāma): by name/is called

• कल्पान्ते (kalpānte): at the end of a kalpa/aeon

• राज्यभाग् (rājyabhāg): a participant in kingship/sovereignty

• भवेत् (bhavet): becomes.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (vrata-dharma context)

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Ekadashi
• Chakra (Sudarshana symbol)
• Krishna-vrata

Tags

• Vrata
• Ekadashi
• Vaishnava
• Ritual offering
• Phala-shruti

FAQs

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

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it uses the phrase “kalpānte” (end of the aeon) to express the long-range, cosmic-scale merit (phala) of a Vaiṣṇava vow leading to Viṣṇu’s abode and eventual sovereignty.

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

It prescribes a householder-friendly discipline—Ekādaśī night-only eating (naktāśī) with a devotional offering—promising spiritual attainment and also worldly fruition (rājyabhāg), aligning personal piety with dharmic prosperity.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual detail is the offering of a golden Vaiṣṇava cakra (Sudarśana emblem), indicating iconographic/ritual gifting practices (dāna and pūjā-upacāra) associated with Viṣṇu worship rather than Vāstu or temple-construction rules.