Shloka 123

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

प्रातः स्नायी भवेन्नित्यं मासौ द्वौ माघफाल्गुनौ / यस्तु माघं समासाद्य प्रातः स्नायी हविष्यभुक्

Transliteration

prātaḥ snāyī bhavennityaṃ māsau dvau māghaphālgunau / yastu māghaṃ samāsādya prātaḥ snāyī haviṣyabhuk

Translation

In den beiden Monaten Māgha und Phālguna soll man täglich in der Morgendämmerung baden. Und wer beim Eintreten des Māgha frühmorgens badet und sich von havis (einfacher Opferkost) nährt, erlangt Verdienst im Dharma.

Word by Word

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• स्नायी: one who bathes
• स्नायी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• भवेत्: should be / should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverbial accusative: always)

• मासौ: (the) two months
• मासौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन (Dual)

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (qualifying मासौ)

• माघफाल्गुनौ: (namely) Māgha and Phālguna
• माघफाल्गुनौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ + फाल्गुन (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: 'माघश्च फाल्गुनश्च'

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• माघम्: the month Māgha
• माघम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; कालवाचक (month-name)

• समासाद्य: having reached (i.e., when Māgha arrives)
• समासाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (having reached/after arriving)

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• स्नायी: one who bathes
• स्नायी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• हविष्यभुक्: one who eats only havis (ritual food)
• हविष्यभुक्: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविष्य + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक-समास; भुज्=भोजने)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: हविष्यम् भुङ्क्ते इति (one who eats oblation/ritual food)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Seasonal vrata: daily dawn-bathing in Magha-Phalguna, supported by dietary restraint (havis-bhuk), accrues dharmic merit.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-shuddhi through niyama and ahara; karma refined by restraint becomes a purifier of mind.

Application: Observe a Magha vrata: dawn bath daily, simplify diet (havis-like: plain, sattvic, offered/remembered as sacred), reduce indulgences for two months.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: snana-tirtha (unspecified)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: vrata and snana-phala discussions around monthly observances; Garuda Purana: Ekadashi and dietary restraint as bhakti-supporting disciplines

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Māgha
• Phālguna

FAQs

What is the importance of Māgha snāna in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that daily dawn-bathing in the month of Māgha (and also Phālguna) is a recommended dharmic observance that generates religious merit, especially when paired with a simple, disciplined diet (havis).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it teaches preparatory dharma—purity, discipline, and merit—considered supportive for auspicious outcomes after death and for reducing negative karmic tendencies.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

In Māgha/Phālguna, adopt a steady routine: bathe early, keep conduct pure, and choose simple sattvic food; even a modest, consistent practice aligns with the verse’s emphasis on daily discipline.