Shloka 64

Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows

Devanagari script

द्वादश द्वादशीर्यस्तु समाप्योपोषणेन च गोवस्त्रकाञ्चनैर्विप्रान् पूजयेच्छक्तितो नरः परमं पदं प्राप्नोति विष्णुव्रतमिदं स्मृतम् //

Transliteration

dvādaśa dvādaśīryastu samāpyopoṣaṇena ca govastrakāñcanairviprān pūjayecchaktito naraḥ paramaṃ padaṃ prāpnoti viṣṇuvratamidaṃ smṛtam //

Translation

Whoever completes twelve Dvādaśī observances, concludes them with fasting, and—according to one’s capacity—honors brāhmaṇas with gifts of cows, garments, and gold, attains the supreme abode. This is remembered as a Viṣṇu-vrata.

Word by Word

• द्वादश: twelve

• द्वादशीः: Dvādaśī days/observances (the twelfth lunar day, sacred to Viṣṇu)

• यः तु: whoever indeed

• समाप्य: having completed

• उपोषणेन: by fasting/abstaining from food

• च: and

• गो-: cows

• वस्त्र-: garments/cloth

• काञ्चनैः: with gold

• विप्रान्: brāhmaṇas

• पूजयेत्: should honor/worship

• शक्तितः: according to ability/capacity

• नरः: a person/man

• परमं पदं: the supreme state/abode (of Viṣṇu)

• प्राप्नोति: attains

• विष्णुव्रतम्: a vow/observance dedicated to Viṣṇu

• इदं: this

• स्मृतम्: is declared/remembered (in tradition).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (vrata teaching context)

Entities Mentioned

• Vishnu
• Dvadashi
• Brahmanas

Tags

• Vrata
• Vishnu
• Dvadashi
• Dana
• Upavasa
• Dharma

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it focuses on vrata-dharma—Dvādaśī fasting and charitable honoring of brāhmaṇas as a means to attain Viṣṇu’s supreme abode.

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

It presents a householder-accessible discipline: completing repeated Dvādaśī observances, concluding with upavāsa (fasting), and giving dāna (cows, clothing, gold) to worthy brāhmaṇas according to one’s means—linking personal devotion with social-religious duty.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is the Viṣṇu-vrata structure: a cycle of twelve Dvādaśīs, a concluding fast, and capacity-based gifts to brāhmaṇas—highlighting standard Purāṇic components of vrata (niyama + upavāsa + dāna).