Shloka 5

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

पश्चिमाभिमुखी गंगा कालिंद्या सह संगता । हंति कल्पशतं पापं सा माघे देवि दुर्लभा ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

paścimābhimukhī gaṃgā kāliṃdyā saha saṃgatā | haṃti kalpaśataṃ pāpaṃ sā māghe devi durlabhā || 5 ||

Translation

হে দেবী, পশ্চিমাভিমুখী গঙ্গা যখন কালিন্দী (যমুনা)-র সঙ্গে মিলিত হয়, তখন সে শত কল্পের পাপ বিনাশ করে; মাঘ মাসে এমন সঙ্গম দুর্লভ।

Word by Word

• पश्चिम-अभिमुखी: west-facing
• पश्चिम-अभिमुखी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमुखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘west-facing’

• गंगा: Gaṅgā
• गंगा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• कालिन्द्या: with Kāliṇdī (Yamunā)
• कालिन्द्या: Sahakāraka/Karaṇa (सहकारक/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिन्दी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सहकारक-करणम्—‘with Kāliṇdī (Yamunā)’

• सह: with
• सह: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक-उपपद (preposition-like indeclinable) ‘with’

• संगता: joined/merged
• संगता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + गम् (धातु) → संगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/कर्तरि कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘joined/met’

• हन्ति: destroys
• हन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; ‘destroys’

• कल्प-शतम्: a hundred kalpas
• कल्प-शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म—‘a hundred kalpas’ (measure of time)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म—‘sin’

• सा: she/that (Gaṅgā)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता

• माघे: in Māgha (month)
• माघे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; कालाधिकरणम्—‘in (the month of) Māgha’

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• दुर्लभा: rare
• दुर्लभा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘rare/difficult to obtain’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-snāna (seasonal observance implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Kalindi (Yamuna)
• Magha (month)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Ganga–Yamuna confluence (sangama), especially in the month of Magha, is an exceptionally potent tirtha where accumulated papa is destroyed and great punya is gained.

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

By glorifying a sacred tirtha and its rare timing (Magha), the verse supports bhakti through tirtha-seva—approaching holy places with श्रद्धा (faith), purity, and remembrance of the divine while performing snana and related acts.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly uses Jyotisha/kalavidhi (sacred calendrics): the month of Magha is identified as a special ritual time for tirtha-bathing (Magha-snana) and pilgrimage observances.