Shloka 38
Prayaga-mahatmya
Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni
तीर्थैर्व्रतैर्दानतपोभिरध्वरैः सार्द्धं विधात्रा तुलया धृतं पुरा । माघः प्रयागश्च तयोर्द्वयोरभून्माघो गरीयांश्चतुराननात्मजे ॥ ३८ ॥
tīrthairvratairdānatapobhiradhvaraiḥ sārddhaṃ vidhātrā tulayā dhṛtaṃ purā | māghaḥ prayāgaśca tayordvayorabhūnmāgho garīyāṃścaturānanātmaje || 38 ||
Einst wog der Schöpfer (Vidhātṛ) auf einer Waage gemeinsam: heilige Pilgerstätten, Gelübde, Gaben, Askesen und Opferhandlungen. Bei diesem Wiegen traten Prayāga und der Monat Māgha hervor; und für den Sohn des viergesichtigen Brahmā erwies sich Māgha als der schwerere, das heißt verdienstvollere, von beiden.
Narada (narrating the Māhātmya within the Uttara-Bhāga dialogue tradition)
Vrata: Māgha (month-long sacred observance; Māgha-snāna implied by context)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It declares a hierarchy of merit: among major dharmic means (tīrtha, vrata, dāna, tapas, yajña), the observances connected with Māgha—especially in relation to Prayāga—are portrayed as exceptionally potent, with Māgha singled out as ‘heavier’ in spiritual fruit.
By elevating sacred time (Māgha) and sacred place (Prayāga), the verse supports bhakti-style practice through intensified worship, bathing, vows, charity, and remembrance performed in auspicious settings—making devotion more concentrated and fruitful.
It implicitly uses Vedic calendrical discipline (Jyotiṣa/kalā—sacred timing such as the Māgha month) and ritual prioritization (Kalpa—how rites, vows, and sacrifices are valued and scheduled) to guide practitioners toward high-impact observances.