Matsya Purana — Vrata-Ṣaṣṭhī: The Sixty Sacred Vows, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

दत्त्वा शिवपदं गच्छेद् विप्राय घृतपायसम् एतच्छीलव्रतं नाम शीलारोग्यफलप्रदम् //

Transliteration

dattvā śivapadaṃ gacched viprāya ghṛtapāyasam etacchīlavrataṃ nāma śīlārogyaphalapradam //

Translation

将以酥油烹制的乳粥（ghṛta-pāyasa）施与一位婆罗门之后，便得至吉祥之境，即湿婆之居处。此名为“尸罗誓行”（Śīla-vrata，善行之誓），能赐予德行之果与无病之报。

Word by Word

• dattvā: having given

• śiva-padam: Śiva’s state/abode, the auspicious highest goal

• gacchet: one goes/attains

• viprāya: to a learned Brāhmaṇa

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

• etat: this

• śīla-vratam: the vow grounded in good conduct/ethical discipline

• nāma: by name/is called

• śīla: good character, ethical disposition

• ārogya: health, freedom from illness

• phala-pradam: bestowing results/fruits

Speaker

• Sūta (narrating Matsya Purāṇa’s vrata-teaching; ultimately rooted in Lord Matsya’s discourse tradition)

Entities Mentioned

• Śiva
• Brāhmaṇa (Vipra)
• Ghṛta-pāyasa (ritual food offering)

Tags

• Dharma
• Vrata
• Dāna
• Ārogya
• Puṇya

FAQs

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

This verse is not about Pralaya; it focuses on dharma through vrata (vow) and dāna (charitable gifting), describing the merit and spiritual destination gained by a specific offering.

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

It presents a householder-facing ethic: cultivate śīla (good conduct) and support learned Brāhmaṇas through proper dāna. Such disciplined charity is said to yield both worldly benefit (health) and higher spiritual attainment.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

Ritually, it prescribes a specific dāna item—ghṛta-pāyasa (ghee-based pāyasa)—to be given to a Brāhmaṇa as part of Śīla-vrata, emphasizing food-offering charity as a meritorious rite.