Shloka 13

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

भवंति शुक्लवर्णानि प्रयागे माघमज्जनात् । मकरस्थे रवौ माघे गोविंदाच्युत माधवः ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

bhavaṃti śuklavarṇāni prayāge māghamajjanāt | makarasthe ravau māghe goviṃdācyuta mādhavaḥ || 13 ||

Translation

প্রয়াগে মাঘমাসে স্নান করলে জীব শুদ্ধ হয়ে শুভ্র-স্বভাব লাভ করে। মাঘে সূর্য মকরে থাকলে ভগবানকে গোবিন্দ, অচ্যুত ও মাধব নামে ভজনা-আরাধনা করা হয়।

Word by Word

• bhavanti: become/are
• bhavanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• śukla-varṇāni: white colors/complexions
• śukla-varṇāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śukla (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka-liṅga (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन)

• prayāge: in Prayāga
• prayāge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• māgha-majjanāt: from bathing in Māgha (month)
• māgha-majjanāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक) + majjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka-liṅga (Neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Pañcamī (Ablative/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• makara-sthe: when (the sun) is in Makara (Capricorn)
• makara-sthe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: makara (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (कृदन्त from √sthā, प्रातिपदिक-वत्)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); adjective qualifying 'ravau'

• ravau: in the Sun (when the Sun is...)
• ravau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• māghe: in the month of Māgha
• māghe: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (Locative/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• govinda: O Govinda
• govinda: Sambodhyā (सम्बोध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: govinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• acyuta: O Acyuta
• acyuta: Sambodhyā (सम्बोध्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

• mādhavaḥ: Mādhava (Vishnu)
• mādhavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-snāna (Māgha-vrata / Māgha-māhātmya observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prayaga
• Ravi (Surya)
• Makara (Capricorn)
• Vishnu (Govinda)
• Vishnu (Acyuta)
• Vishnu (Madhava)

FAQs

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

It states that Māgha bathing at Prayāga purifies the devotee (symbolized as becoming ‘white/pure’) and ties the rite to a sacred solar timing (Sun in Makara), emphasizing tīrtha-sevā plus devotion to Viṣṇu.

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

The verse links a physical vow (Māgha-snāna) with remembrance/worship of Viṣṇu through specific divine names—Govinda, Acyuta, Mādhava—showing that ritual becomes bhakti when performed with God-centered consciousness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology/astronomy) is implied through the timing marker ‘Ravi in Makara’ (Makara-saṅkrānti season), guiding when the Māgha observance is especially meritorious.