Matsya Purana 287: adhyāyaḥ 287

287.1

saptasāgaramahādānavidhivarṇanam.

Matsya said:—“I shall now relate to you Saptasâgara ordinance, the dispeller of all great sins.”—1

287.2

matsya uvāca.
athātaḥ saṃpravakṣyāmi mahādānamanuttamam.
saptasāgarakaṃ nāma sarvapāpapraṇāśanam .. 287.1

287.3

puṇyaṃ dinamathāsādya kṛtvā brāhmaṇavācanam.
tulā puruṣavat kuryāt lokeśāvāhanaṃ budhaḥ .. 287.2

On an auspicious day after Svastivâchana the Lokapâlas should be invoked as is done in Tulâdâna. Then Ritvikas Mandapa articles, ornaments, clothings and coverings should be collected and seven sacrificial pits should be made of gold.—2-3

287.4

ṛtvigmaṇḍapasambhāra bhūṣaṇācchādanādikam.
kārayet saptakuṇḍāni kāñcanāni vicakṣaṇaḥ .. 287.3

287.5

prādeśamātrāṇi tathā ratnimātrāṇi vai punaḥ.
kuryāt saptapalādūrdhvamāsahasrācca śaktitaḥ .. 287.4

They should be of the size of Pradêsa (of the span of the thumb and forefinger) or Aratni and should be made of from seven palas to one thousand palas of gold according to the means of the devotee.—4

287.6

saṃsthāpyāni ca sarvāṇi kṛṣṇājina tilopari.
prathamaṃ pūrayetkuṇḍaṃ lavaṇena vicakṣaṇaḥ .. 287.5

Then they should be located on a black deer skin overspread with sesamum. The first pit should be filled in with salt, the second one with milk, the third one with clarified butter, the fourth one with molasses, the fifth one with curds, the sixth one with sugar, the seventh one with the sacred waters of the holy Tirthas. The golden image of Brahmâ should be put in the one filled with salt, Keśava in the second one filled with milk, Shiva in the third one filled with clarified butter, the Sun in the fourth one filled with molasses, the Moon in the 5th one filled with curds, Lakshmi in the 6th one filled with sugar, Parvati in the 7th one filled with the sacred waters. Gems and grains (Dhânyam) should be put in each one of them and grains all round—5-9

287.7

dvitīyaṃ payasā tadvat tṛtīyaṃ sarpiṣā punaḥ.
caturthantu guḍenaiva dadhnā pañcamameva ca .. 287.6

287.8

ṣaṣṭhaṃ śarkarayā tadvat saptamaṃ tīrthavāriṇā.
sthāpayellavaṇasthaṃ tu brahmāṇaṃ kāñcanaṃ śubham .. 287.7

287.9

keśavaṃ kṣīramadhye tu ghṛtamadhye maheśvaram.
bhāskaraṃ guḍamadhye tu dadhimadhye niśādhipam .. 287.8

287.10

śarkarāyāṃ nyasellakṣmīṃ jalamadhye tu pārvatīm.
sarveṣu sarvaratnāni dhānyāni ca samantataḥ .. 287.9

287.11

tulāpuruṣavaccheṣamatrāpi parikalpayet.
tato vāruṇahomānte snāpito vedapuṅgavaiḥ .. 287.10

All the ceremonies should be performed as is done in Tuladâna and at the end of the Vâruna Homa the devotee should bathe assisted by the Brâhmaṇas versed in the Vedas. He should then make three circumambulations and then recite the following formulæ:—“‘O Eternal Oceans! You are the basis of all the beings. You are eternal. You are the giver of life to all beings. I salute you.’—10-11 One who thus gives away these seven oceans in such a way, attains the realm of Viṣṇu venerated by the Devas.—14.

287.12

triḥpradakṣiṇamāvṛtya mantrānetānudīrayet.
namo vaḥ sarvasindhūnāmādhārebhyaḥ sanātanāḥ ..
jantūnāṃ prāṇadebhyaśca samudrebhyo namo namaḥ .. 287.11

287.13

kṣīrodakājya-dadhi-mādhura-lāvaṇekṣu sārāmṛtena bhuvanatraya-jīvasaṅghān.
ānandayanti vasubhiśca yato bhavantastasmānmamāpyaghavighātamalaṃ diśantu .. 287.12

287.14

yasmāt samastabhuvaneṣu bhavanta eva tīrthāmarāsurasubaddhamaṇipradānam.
pāpakṣayāmṛtavilepanabhūṣaṇāya lokasya bibhrati tadastu mamāpi lakṣmīḥ .. 287.13

287.15

iti dadāti rasāmṛtasaṃyutān śuciravismayavāniha sāgarān.
kamalakāñcanavarṇamayānasau padamupaiti hareramarārcitaḥ .. 287.14

287.16

sakalapāpavidhautavirājitaḥ pitṛpitāmahaputrakalatrakam.
narakalokasamākulamapyayaṃ jhaṭiti so'pi nayecchivamandiram .. 287.15

He also liberates his sons, wife, father, grandfather, etc., from sins and sends them to heaven from hell—15.