Matsya Purana — Rites for Consecrating and Celebrating Trees, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

*ऋषय ऊचुः पादपानां विधिं सूत यथावद्विस्तराद्वद विधिना केन कर्तव्यं पादपोद्यापनं बुधैः //

Transliteration

*ṛṣaya ūcuḥ pādapānāṃ vidhiṃ sūta yathāvadvistarādvada vidhinā kena kartavyaṃ pādapodyāpanaṃ budhaiḥ //

Translation

Sinabi ng mga rishi: “O Sūta, ipahayag mo sa amin nang wasto ang mga tuntunin ukol sa mga punò, ayon sa tamang pagkakasunod at nang may malawak na paliwanag. Sa anong paraang ritwal dapat isagawa ng marurunong ang pagtatalaga/pagtatatag ng punò (pādapa-udyāpana)?”

Word by Word

• ṛṣayaḥ: the sages

• ūcuḥ: said

• pādapānām: of trees

• vidhim: rule, ordinance, prescribed procedure

• sūta: O Sūta (the narrator)

• yathāvat: properly, correctly

• vistarāt: in detail

• vada: speak, tell

• vidhinā: by (what) rite/procedure

• kena: by which

• kartavyam: is to be done/should be performed

• pādapa-udyāpanam: the raising/establishing and ritual consecration of a tree (tree-planting rite)

• budhaiḥ: by the wise/learned.

Speaker

• The sages (Ṛṣis) addressing Sūta

Entities Mentioned

• Sūta
• Ṛṣis

Tags

• Vastuvidya
• Ritual
• Tree-planting
• Dharma
• Sacred ecology

FAQs

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

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it introduces a practical dharmic topic—how to ritually establish and consecrate trees—showing the Purana’s focus on sustaining life and merit through prescribed rites.

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

It frames tree-planting as a regulated, merit-producing duty: householders and rulers alike are expected to support public welfare through dharmic acts such as establishing trees/groves, done according to proper ritual procedure.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The key ritual term is pādapodyāpana—an establishment/consecration rite for trees—suggesting that, like temples and images, trees and plantations can be installed with formal procedure within Matsya Purana’s Vastu/ritual framework.