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

Wer im Monat Māgha in Prayāga badet, wird von reiner, gleichsam weißer Natur. Wenn in Māgha die Sonne im Makara (Steinbock) steht, wird der Herr als Govinda, Acyuta und Mādhava verehrt.

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.