Matsya Purana — Ritual Bathing, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

दर्भपाणिस्तु विधिना आचान्तः प्रयतः शुचिः चतुर्हस्तसमायुक्तं चतुरस्रं समन्ततः प्रकल्प्यावाहयेद् गङ्गाम् एभिर्मन्त्रैर्विचक्षणः //

Transliteration

darbhapāṇistu vidhinā ācāntaḥ prayataḥ śuciḥ caturhastasamāyuktaṃ caturasraṃ samantataḥ prakalpyāvāhayed gaṅgām ebhirmantrairvicakṣaṇaḥ //

Translation

हाथ में दर्भ लेकर, विधिपूर्वक आचमन करके, संयमी और शुद्ध होकर, चार हाथ प्रमाण का चतुरस्र (वर्गाकार) मंडल चारों ओर से बनाकर, इन मंत्रों द्वारा कुशल साधक गंगा का आवाहन करे।

Word by Word

• दर्भपाणिः (darbhapāṇiḥ): with kuśa/darbha grass in hand

• तु (tu): indeed/then

• विधिना (vidhinā): according to rule

• आचान्तः (ācāntaḥ): having sipped water ritually (ācamana)

• प्रयतः (prayataḥ): self-restrained, disciplined

• शुचिः (śuciḥ): pure/clean

• चतुर्हस्तसमायुक्तम् (catur-hasta-samāyuktam): measuring four hastas (cubits)

• चतुरस्रम् (caturasram): square

• समन्ततः (samantataḥ): on all sides, all around

• प्रकल्प्य (prakalpya): having arranged/prepared

• आवाहयेत् (āvāhayet): should invoke (ritually invite)

• गङ्गाम् (gaṅgām): Gaṅgā

• एभिः मन्त्रैः (ebhiḥ mantraiḥ): with these mantras

• विचक्षणः (vicakṣaṇaḥ): the knowledgeable/skillful one.

Speaker

• Sūta (narrator) relaying Matsya Purāṇa’s ritual instruction (vidhi) in a prescriptive voice

Entities Mentioned

• Gaṅgā
• Darbha (Kuśa grass)
• Ācamana

Tags

• Tirtha
• Ganga-Avahana
• Ritual
• Purification
• Mantra-Vidhi

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it focuses on ritual purity and the formal invocation (āvāhana) of Gaṅgā through ācamana, darbha, and a prepared square ritual space.

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

It outlines a standard dharmic procedure for a disciplined practitioner—relevant to householders and rulers alike—emphasizing cleanliness (śuci), self-restraint (prayata), and correct performance of rites (vidhi) before sacred acts like bathing or worship.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it prescribes preparing a caturasra (square) maṇḍala of four hastas as the designated sacred space for mantra-based invocation—an example of precise spatial measurement used in Purāṇic ritual practice (often aligned with Vastu-style geometric ordering).