Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

नक्ताशी चाष्टमीषु स्याद् वत्सरान्ते च धेनुदः पौरंदरं पुरं याति सुगतिव्रतमुच्यते //

Transliteration

naktāśī cāṣṭamīṣu syād vatsarānte ca dhenudaḥ pauraṃdaraṃ puraṃ yāti sugativratamucyate //

Translation

अष्टमीषु नक्ताशी स्यात्; वत्सरान्ते धेनुं दत्त्वा पौरन्दरं पुरं याति। एषः सुगतिव्रत इति कथ्यते॥

Word by Word

• naktāśī: one who eats at night only

• ca: and

• aṣṭamīṣu: on the eighth tithis (lunar days)

• syāt: should be/should become

• vatsara-ante: at the end of a year

• ca: and

• dhenu-daḥ: giver of a cow (cow-donor)

• paurandaram: belonging to Purandara (Indra)

• puram: city

• yāti: goes/attains

• sugati-vratam: the vow leading to good destiny

• ucyate: is said/called

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Purandara (Indra)

Tags

• Vrata
• Dana
• Tithi
• Dharma
• Svarga

FAQs

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

This verse does not address pralaya; it focuses on vrata-dharma—specific fasting discipline and cow-gift (dāna) as means to attain heavenly merit.

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

It presents a householder-style observance: regulated eating on aṣṭamī and a prescribed charitable gift at year’s end. Such vows exemplify self-restraint (niyama) and generosity (dāna), key duties praised in the Matsya Purana’s ethical teaching.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual significance is the aṣṭamī-based naktāśī observance and the concluding cow-donation; no Vastu or temple-architecture rule is mentioned in this verse.