Shloka 20

The Greatness of the Month of Māgha

Māgha-snāna, Harivāsara, and the Kāṣṭhīlā-Upākhyāna

Devanagari script

माध्यां स्नानसमाप्तै तु दद्याद्विप्राय षड्रसम् । सूर्यो मे प्रीयतां देवो विष्णुमूर्तिर्निरञ्जनः ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

mādhyāṃ snānasamāptai tu dadyādviprāya ṣaḍrasam | sūryo me prīyatāṃ devo viṣṇumūrtirnirañjanaḥ || 20 ||

Translation

মধ্যাহ্ন স্নান সমাপ্ত হলে ব্রাহ্মণকে ষড়রসযুক্ত ভোজন দান করা উচিত। তারপর প্রার্থনা—“বিষ্ণুমূর্তি নির্মল দেব সূর্য আমার প্রতি প্রসন্ন হোন।”

Word by Word

• माध्याम्: at midday / the midday (time)
• माध्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘माध्याह्निकी/मध्याह्न-सम्बन्धिनी’ (midday time)

• स्नान-समाप्ते: upon completion of bathing
• स्नान-समाप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + समाप्त (प्रातिपदिक; भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्नानस्य समाप्तिः/समाप्तम्)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विप्राय: to a Brahmin
• विप्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• षट्-रसम्: six-flavoured (food)
• षट्-रसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षड् रसाः यस्मिन्/षड्रसम्)

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मे: my / for me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• प्रीयताम्: may (he) be pleased
• प्रीयताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सूर्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विष्णु-मूर्तिः: (who is) the form of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-मूर्तिः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः मूर्तिः)

• निरञ्जनः: spotless/pure
• निरञ्जनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Uttara-Bhaga’s tirtha/vrata-style ritual teaching)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-snāna (contextual)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Vishnu
• Vipra (Brahmin)

FAQs

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

It links daily purity (midday bath) with dharmic generosity (feeding a Brahmin) and culminates in devotion by recognizing Sūrya as the pure manifestation of Viṣṇu.

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

Bhakti is expressed through a simple prayer—seeking Sūrya’s grace while contemplating him as Viṣṇu-mūrti—showing that ritual action becomes devotion when performed with God-centered remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: timing (midday), sequence (bath → dana), and the proper form of offering (ṣaḍ-rasa food) as part of regulated daily observance.