Shloka 158

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जंबूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत् ॥ १५८ ॥

Transliteration

tāvadvarṣasahasrāṇi svargaloke mahīyate | tataḥ svargātparibhraṣṭo jaṃbūdvīpapatirbhavet || 158 ||

Translation

لآلافٍ مؤلَّفة من السنين يُكرَّم في عالم السماء؛ ثم إذا سقط من السماء صار ملكًا سيّدًا على جمبودفيبا (Jambūdvīpa).

Word by Word

• तावत्: for so long; for that duration
• तावत्: विशेषणम् (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निबद्ध)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक (measure/duration adverb)

• वर्ष-सहस्राणि: thousands of years
• वर्ष-सहस्राणि: कालाधिकरणम् (Temporal adjunct/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्षाणां सहस्राणि = thousands of years)

• स्वर्ग-लोके: in the heaven-world
• स्वर्ग-लोके: अधिकरणम् (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गस्य लोकः)

• महीयते: is honored; is exalted
• महीयते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is honored/glorified)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक (Discourse/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अपादान/क्रम-वाचक (then; thereafter)

• स्वर्गात्: from heaven
• स्वर्गात्: अपादानम् (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• परिभ्रष्टः: fallen; slipped down
• परिभ्रष्टः: कर्तृविशेषणम् (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-भ्रंश् (धातु) → परिभ्रष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अर्थः—पतितः/च्युतः

• जम्बू-द्वीप-पतिः: lord of Jambūdvīpa
• जम्बू-द्वीप-पतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जम्बू (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जम्बूद्वीपस्य पतिः)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Uttara-Bhaga narrative on merit, tirtha-mahatmya, and karmaphala)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Jambudvipa

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It emphasizes the Purāṇic principle that heavenly reward (Svarga) is finite: after enjoying honor there for thousands of years, the soul returns to embodied life, here described as attaining worldly sovereignty in Jambūdvīpa.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By implication it distinguishes temporary karmic rewards from the lasting goal sought through Viṣṇu-bhakti; Svarga and kingship are elevated but impermanent fruits, whereas devotion aims beyond cyclical rise and fall.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse mainly teaches karmaphala logic rather than a specific Vedāṅga; practically, it supports Dharma-śāstra style discernment—understanding that ritual merit yields time-bound results and should be oriented toward higher liberation-focused aims.