Matsya Purana — Sādhāraṇa Śrāddha: General Ancestral Rite, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

निवृत्य प्रणिपत्याथ पर्युक्ष्याग्निं समन्त्रवत् वैश्वदेवं प्रकुर्वीत नैत्यकं बलिमेव च //

Transliteration

nivṛtya praṇipatyātha paryukṣyāgniṃ samantravat vaiśvadevaṃ prakurvīta naityakaṃ balimeva ca //

Translation

परत येऊन नमस्कार करावा; मग मंत्रपूर्वक अग्नीभोवती जल शिंपडून वैश्वदेव करावा आणि नित्यक बलिदानही विधिपूर्वक करावे।

Word by Word

• निवृत्य (nivṛtya): having returned/after completing (the preceding duty)

• प्रणिपत्य (praṇipatyā): having bowed down/prostrated

• अथ (atha): then

• पर्युक्ष्य (paryukṣya): having sprinkled (water) around/ritually asperged

• अग्निम् (agnim): the sacred fire

• समन्त्रवत् (samantravat): with mantras, in the proper formulaic manner

• वैश्वदेवम् (vaiśvadevam): the Vaiśvadeva rite/offerings to the all-gods (and associated beings)

• प्रकुर्वीत (prakurvīta): should perform/should carry out

• नैत्यकम् (naityakam): daily/regularly enjoined (rite)

• बलिम् (balim): bali offering/portion set out for beings/guardians

• एव (eva): indeed/also

• च (ca): and.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in instruction to Vaivasvata Manu on dharma and ritual procedure)

Entities Mentioned

• Agni
• Vaiśvadeva

Tags

• Dharma
• Gṛhastha
• Vaiśvadeva
• Agnihotra
• Daily Ritual

FAQs

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

This verse is not about pralaya; it focuses on nitya-karma (daily dharma), prescribing fire-related ritual steps and offerings that sustain cosmic order (ṛta) through regular worship.

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

It outlines a householder-style daily discipline: bowing, maintaining the sacred fire, performing Vaiśvadeva, and giving bali. In the Matsya Purana’s ethical framework, even rulers are expected to uphold such regular rites (personally or through proper delegation) as part of protecting dharma.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it specifies paryukṣa (sprinkling around the fire) and the Vaiśvadeva and bali offerings—core domestic/ritual-fire procedures. Architecturally, it indirectly implies a properly maintained sacred-fire space (agni-sthāna) within the household setting.