Matsya Purana 206: adhyāyaḥ 206

206.1

kṛṣṇamṛgacarmadānavidhivarṇanam.
manuruvāca.
kṛṣṇājinapradānasya vidhikālau mamānagha.
brāhmaṇañca tathācakṣva tatra me saṃśayo mahān .. 206.1 ..

Manu said:—Deva! pray tell me how to make a gift of a black deer-skin. Also explain to me who is the most worthy Brāhmaṇa of such a gift and what is the proper time to do so, so that my doubts may be removed.—1

206.2

matsya uvāca.
vaiśākhī paurṇamāsī ca grahaṇe śaśisūryayoḥ.
paurṇamāsītu yā māghe hyāṣāḍhī kārtikī tathā .. 206.2 ..

Matsya said:—"On the full moon-day in the month of Vaiśākha, Māgha, Āṣāḍha and Kārtika, on the twelfth lunar day of the sun's progress in the northern path, the giving away of the black deer-skin begets incalculable benefits. It should be given to a Agnihotrī Brāhmaṇa.—2-3

206.3

uttarāyaṇaṃ dvādaśī vā tasyāṃ dattaṃ mahāphalam.
āhitāgnirdvijo yastu taddeyaṃ tasya pārthiva .. 206.3 ..

206.4

yathā yena vidhānena tanme nigadataḥ śrṛṇu.
gomayenopalipte tu śūcau deśe narādhipa .. 206.4 ..

Now listen how it should be given away, king! First a cloth made of good goat wool should be spread on the floor washed with cow-dung. Over it should be spread the skin of a black deer containing its horns and hoofs. The gold mounted horns, silver mounted teeth and the tail-end decorated with pearls should be covered with sesamum. Then everything should be covered with a piece of fine sacred cloth. Gold is to be placed on the navel. Afterwards it should also be decorated with jewels according to the means of the devotee and then incense is to be burnt round this. At all its four corners vessels of bell-metal (kāṅsā) should be placed and the clay pots on the eastern side should be filled in with clarified butter, milk, curd and honey Another beautiful entire jar without any holes in it should be placed for the sprinkling of water It should be placed in a quiet corner after putting a Champaka twig on the east side of it—4 10

206.5

ādāveva samāstīrya śobhanaṃ śastamāvikam.
tataḥ saśrṛṅgaṃ sakhuramāstaret kṛṣṇamārgakam .. 206.5 ..

206.6

kartavyaṃ rukmaśrṛṅgaṃ tadraupyadantaṃ tathaiva ca.
lāṅgalaṃ mauktikairyuktaṃ tilacchannaṃ tathaiva ca .. 206.6 ..

206.7

tilaiśca śikhitaṃ kṛtvā vāsasācchādayecchuci.
suvarṇanābhaṃ tatkuryādalaṅkuryādviśeṣataḥ .. 206.7 ..

206.8

ratnairgandhairyathāśaktyā tasya dikṣu ca vinyaset.
kāṃsyapātrāṇi catvāri teṣu dadyādyathākramam .. 206.8 ..

206.9

mṛṇmayeṣu ca pātreṣu pūrvādiṣu yathākramam.
ghṛtaṃ kṣīraṃ dadhi kṣaudramevaṃ dadyādyathāvidhi .. 206.9 ..

206.10

campakasya tathā śākhāmavraṇaṃ kumbhameva ca.
bāhyopasthāpanaṃ kṛtvā śubhacitto niveśayet .. 206.10 ..

206.11

sūkṣmavastraṃ śubhampītaṃ mārjanārthaṃ prayojayet.
tathā dhātumayīḥ pātrīḥ pādayostasya dāpayet .. 206.11 ..

There should be placed also a fine yellow or white cloth for wiping or cleaning The vessels made of metals should be placed at both the hoofs—11

206.12

yāni kāni ca pāpāni mayā lobhāt kṛtāni vai.
lohapātrādi dānena praṇaśyantu mamāśu vai .. 206.12 ..

The following formula should be recited ‘Whatever sins I might have committed through avarice, be consumed by the giving away of this iron vessel’ Then the vessel is to be given over—12

206.13

tilapūrṇaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā vāmapāde niveśayet.
yāni kānica pāpāni karṇotthāni kṛtāni ca .. 206.13 ..

Afterwards the Queen s metal vessel (i e., kâṃsya vessel) filled with sesamum should be placed near the left foot, and the following formulæ should be uttered ‘Whatever sins I may have committed through hearing be vanished by the gift of this vessel of Queen’s metal (white copper)’ Thus repeating the mantra the vessel is to be given over Then the vessel filled with honey should be placed at the right foot—13 14

206.14

kāṃsyapātrapradānena tāni naśyantu me sadā.
madhupūrṇantu tatkṛtvā pāde vai dakṣiṇe nyaset .. 206.14 ..

206.15

parāpavādapaiśūnyādvṛthā māṃsasya bhakṣaṇāt.
tatrotthitañca me pāpaṃ tāmrapātrātpraṇaśyatu .. 206.15 ..

Then the following formulæ should be recited—‘Whatever sins I may have committed through insinuations backbiting or eating flesh not offered to the gods be destroyed by the giving away of this copper vessel’ Then the vessel is to be given over—15

206.16

kanyānṛtāt gavāñcaiva paradārābhimarśanāt.
raupyapātrapradānāddhi kṣipraṃ nāśaṃ prayātu me .. 206.16 ..

‘Whatever sins I may have committed through false speaking in connection with a cow and a virgin and through lust for the women of others be vanished by the giving away of this silver vessel’ Then the vessel is to be given over—16

206.17

ūrdhvapāde tvime kārye tāmrasya rajatasya ca.
janmajanmasahasreṣu kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ kubuddhinā .. 206.17 ..

Afterwards the copper and silver vessels should be placed at the fore-feet of the deer skin Beautiful leaves containing gold, pearls corals, pomegranates citrons etc, should be placed at the ears and (Śriṅgâṭokâ) pastry or dough is to be placed on the hoofs Then various kinds of herb-vegetables and fruits should be placed and then the following formulæ should be uttered ‘Janârdana! the sins that I may have committed through ignorance in thousands of my lives, be destroyed by the giving away of this vessel of gold’—17 19

206.18

suvarṇapātradānāttu nāśayāśu janārddana!.
hemamuktāvidrumañca dār̤imaṃ bījapūrakam .. 206.18 ..

206.19

praśastapatre śravaṇe khure śrṛṅgāṭakāni ca.
evaṃ kṛtvā yathoktena sarvaśākaphalāni ca .. 206.19 ..

206.20

tatpratigrahavidvidvānāhitāgnirdvijottamaḥ.
snāto vastrayugacchannaḥ svaśaktyā cāpyalaṅkṛtaḥ .. 206.20 ..

In such a way the Agnihotrî Brâhmaṇa accepting the gift should take his bath, wear the pair of garments and he is to be bedecked according to the means of the devotee He is then to accept the gift The gift should be accepted at the tail end and the following formulæ should be uttered on that occasion ‘Lord Mahâdeva who wears the black-deer skin and who has a beautiful blue neck, therefore by the gift of this black deer skin He may be pleased So Kṛṣṇa be pleased’—20-22

206.21

pratigrahaśca tasyoktaḥ pucchadeśe mahīpate!.
tata evaṃ samīpe tu mantramenamudīrayet .. 206.21 ..

206.22

kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇagalodevaḥ kṛṣṇājinadharastathā.
taddānāddhūtapāpasya prīyatāṃ vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ .. 206.22 ..

206.23

anena vidhinā dattvā yathāvat kṛṣṇamārgakam.
na spṛśyo'sau dvijo rājan! citiyūpasamo hi saḥ .. 206.23 ..

After thus giving away the gift to the Brâhmaṇa the devotee should not touch him for he becomes like the wood of a sacrificial post at the burning ceremonies not fit to be touched—23

206.24

sa dāne śrāddhakāle ca dūrataḥ parivarjayet.
svagṛhātpreṣya taṃ vipraṃ maṅgalasnānamācaret .. 206.24 ..

That Brâhmaṇa should be avoided on the occasion of other gifts and Śrâddha ceremony After sending him away the devotee should bathe He should pour over him the water full to the brim of the vase having a Champaka twig The preceptor should first be called and the pitcher should be placed on the head Then bath should be performed by the

206.25

pūrṇakumbhena rājendra! śākhayā campakasya tu.
kṛtvācāryaśca kalaśaṃ mantreṇānena mūrddhani.. 206.25 ..

206.26

āpyāyasva samudrajyeṣṭhā ṛcā saṃsnāpya ṣor̤aśa.
ahatevāsasīvata ācāntaḥ śucitāmiyāt .. 206.26 ..

206.27

tadvāsaḥ kumbhasahitaṃ nītvā kṣepyaṃ catuṣpathe.
kṛtenānena yā tuṣṭirna sā śakyā surairapi .. 206.27 ..

Then the jar along with the cloth should be lifted up and taken to a square where it should be dashed The benefits accruing by the performance of such a charity cannot be fully described even by the Devas To be brief the devotee gets the benefits of having given away the whole world in charity—27 28

206.28

vaktuṃ hi nṛpatiśreṣṭha! tathāpyuddeśataḥ śrṛṇu.
samagrabhūmidānasya phalaṃ prāpnotyasaṃśayam .. 206.28 ..

206.29

sarvān lokāṃśca jayati kāmacārī vihaṅgavat.
ābhūtasaṃplavaṃ yāvatsargamāpnotyasaṃśayam .. 206.29 ..

He conquers all the realms and moves about everywhere as he wills like a bird, and is paid great respect and undoubtedly remains in heaven till the annihilation of the universe—29

206.30

na pitā putramaraṇaṃ viyogaṃ bhāryayā saha.
dhanadeśaparityāgaṃ na caivehāpnuyāt kvacit .. 206.30 ..

His father and sons etc, do not perish, nor is there a separation from his wife and he does not lose his wealth, realm, etc—30

206.31

kṛṣṇepsitaṃ kṛṣṇamṛgasya carma dattvā dvijendrāya samāhitātmā.
yathoktametanmaraṇaṃ na śocet prāpnotyabhīṣṭaṃ manasaḥ phalaṃ tat .. 206.31 ..

In this way the devotee gets such benefits and attains all his wishes He is void of the cares of death'—31.