Matsya Purana — Śrāddha Procedure: Types, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अदैवं तद्विजानीयात् पार्वणं पर्वसु स्मृतम् पार्वणं त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं शृणु तावन्महीपते //

Transliteration

adaivaṃ tadvijānīyāt pārvaṇaṃ parvasu smṛtam pārvaṇaṃ trividhaṃ proktaṃ śṛṇu tāvanmahīpate //

Translation

Sábese que esto es ‘a-daiva’, es decir, no ofrecido a los dioses. El rito llamado ‘pārvaṇa’ se recuerda como el que se realiza en los días de parva (días de unión o transición). Se declara que el pārvaṇa es de tres clases: escucha, oh rey.

Word by Word

• adaivam: not for the devas / non-deva offering

• tat: that

• vijānīyāt: one should understand/know

• pārvaṇam: the pārvaṇa rite (parva-related śrāddha/rite)

• parvasu: on parva days/junctions (e.g., new moon/full moon and other calendrical nodes)

• smṛtam: is remembered/declared in tradition

• pārvaṇam: the pārvaṇa rite

• trividham: threefold/of three types

• proktam: has been stated/expounded

• śṛṇu: listen

• tāvat: now/thereupon

• mahīpate: O lord of the earth (king).

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (instructing the King)

Entities Mentioned

• Lord Matsya
• Mahīpati (King)

Tags

• Dharma
• Shraddha
• Ritual
• Parva
• Pitṛ-kārya

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it defines ritual classification—specifically that the pārvaṇa performed on calendrical parva days is treated as ‘adaiva’ (not a deva-offering), pointing instead to pitṛ-oriented observances.

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

It frames a king/householder’s dharma as knowing correct ritual categories and timings: pārvaṇa rites are tied to parva days and must be understood properly, since royal and domestic merit depends on performing śrāddha and related duties according to śāstra.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual: ‘pārvaṇa’ is a parva-day observance and is explicitly said to be threefold, introducing a technical taxonomy used in śrāddha/pitṛ ritual procedure rather than temple architecture.