Matsya Purana — Sādhāraṇa Śrāddha: General Ancestral Rite, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

यत्किंचिन्मधुसम्मिश्रं गोक्षीरं घृतपायसम् दत्तमक्षयमित्याहुः पितरः पूर्वदेवताः //

Transliteration

yatkiṃcinmadhusammiśraṃ gokṣīraṃ ghṛtapāyasam dattamakṣayamityāhuḥ pitaraḥ pūrvadevatāḥ //

Translation

ពិត្រៈ (Pitṛs) អាទិទេវដ៏បុរាណ ទ្រង់ប្រកាសថា អ្វីៗណាដែលបានបូជាដោយលាយទឹកឃ្មុំ គឺទឹកដោះគោ និងបាយផ្អែមចម្អិនជាមួយឃី (ghṛta-pāyasa) នោះក្លាយជាទានអក្សយ (akṣaya) មានបុណ្យមិនរលាយ។

Word by Word

• yat kiṃcit: whatever, anything at all

• madhu-sammiśram: mixed with honey

• go-kṣīram: cow’s milk

• ghṛta-pāyasam: pāyasa (sweet rice) prepared with ghee

• dattam: that which is given/offered

• akṣayam: imperishable, inexhaustible (in merit)

• iti: thus

• āhuḥ: they say/declare

• pitaraḥ: the ancestors (Pitṛs)

• pūrva-devatāḥ: ancient deities, the former divine beings

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating the Matsya Purana’s teaching on Śrāddha; teaching attributed to the Pitṛs’ declaration)

Entities Mentioned

• Pitṛs

Tags

• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs
• Akṣaya-dāna
• Ritual offerings
• Householder dharma

FAQs

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

It does not discuss Pralaya; it focuses on ritual law (Śrāddha), stating that honey-mixed offerings like cow’s milk and ghee-pāyasa yield “akṣaya” (inexhaustible) merit for ancestor rites.

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

It supports gṛhastha-dharma: a householder should honor the Pitṛs through Śrāddha, and offerings of honey-mixed cow’s milk and ghee-based pāyasa are recommended as especially merit-bearing and enduring.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual (not architectural): it prescribes specific Śrāddha food-offerings—honey-mixed cow’s milk and ghee-pāyasa—described as producing “akṣaya” results.