Matsya Purana — Rite of Donating the ‘Sugar Mountain’, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

धान्यपर्वतवत्सर्वम् आसाद्यामरसंयुतम् मेरोरुपरि तद्वच्च स्थाप्यं हेमतरुत्रयम् //

Transliteration

dhānyaparvatavatsarvam āsādyāmarasaṃyutam merorupari tadvacca sthāpyaṃ hematarutrayam //

Translation

Après avoir tout disposé à la manière d’une « montagne de grains » et l’avoir pourvu d’offrandes convenant aux Immortels, on doit pareillement placer, au sommet du Meru central, une triade d’arbres d’or.

Word by Word

• धान्य (dhānya): grain, cereals

• पर्वतवत् (parvatavat): like a mountain, in the form of a mound

• सर्वम् (sarvam): everything, all items

• आसाद्य (āsādya): having arranged/placed, having set in position

• अमर (amara): the immortals, the gods

• संयुतम् (saṃyutam): endowed with, accompanied by

• मेरोर् उपरि (meror upari): upon Meru, on top of the central Meru

• तद्वत् (tadvat): likewise, in the same manner

• च (ca): and

• स्थाप्यम् (sthāpyam): should be placed/installed

• हेम (hema): golden

• तरु (taru): tree

• त्रयम् (trayam): a set of three, triad.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu, within a Vastu/ritual-architectural teaching sequence)

Entities Mentioned

• Meru
• Amaras (Devas)
• Hemataru (Golden Trees)

Tags

• Vastu Shastra
• Ritual Layout
• Meru Model
• Temple Iconography
• Offerings

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it focuses on sacred arrangement and symbolic cosmography (Meru) used in ritual/architectural contexts rather than cosmic dissolution.

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

It reflects the dharmic duty to sponsor and correctly perform public rites and sacred constructions—arranging offerings (fit for the devas) and installing auspicious symbols according to prescribed order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

It prescribes a Meru-centered layout: prepare a grain-mountain-like mound and place a triad of golden trees atop Meru—an iconographic/ritual installation used to mirror cosmic order in a consecrated space.