Matsya Purana — Śrāddha Procedure: Types, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

विप्राणां क्षालयेत् पादाव् अभिनन्द्य पुनः पुनः आसनेषूपकॢप्तेषु दर्भवत्सु विधानवत् //

Transliteration

viprāṇāṃ kṣālayet pādāv abhinandya punaḥ punaḥ āsaneṣūpakḷpteṣu darbhavatsu vidhānavat //

Translation

Après avoir salué avec respect les brāhmaṇa à maintes reprises, on doit leur laver les pieds; puis on les fait asseoir correctement sur les sièges préparés, garnis d’herbe darbha, selon le rite prescrit.

Word by Word

• विप्राणाम् (viprāṇām): of Brahmins

• क्षालयेत् (kṣālayet): should wash/cleanse

• पादौ (pādau): the two feet

• अभिनन्द्य (abhinandya): having greeted/honored

• पुनः पुनः (punaḥ punaḥ): repeatedly, again and again

• आसनेषु (āsaneṣu): on seats

• उपकॢप्तेषु (upakḷpteṣu): prepared/arranged

• दर्भवत्सु (darbhavatsu): furnished with darbha grass

• विधानवत् (vidhānavat): according to rule/procedure.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating Matsya Purāṇa’s dharma instructions; framed teaching tradition ultimately attributed to Lord Matsya’s discourse)

Entities Mentioned

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Darbha (Kuśa grass)

Tags

• Dharma
• Atithi-satkara
• Brahmana-seva
• Ritual
• Householder

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya or cosmology; it focuses on dharma—proper hospitality and ritual etiquette toward Brahmins.

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

It prescribes ācamana-style hospitality: repeatedly honoring Brahmins, washing their feet, and offering a proper seat—core duties of a householder (and by extension a righteous king) in maintaining social and ritual order.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual detail is the use of prepared seats with darbha (kuśa) grass, a standard purity aid in Vedic-Puranic rites, indicating that seating arrangements themselves are part of correct procedure (vidhāna).