Shloka 59

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

ततो गत्वा प्रयागं तु सर्वदेवाभिरक्षितम् । ब्रह्मचारी वसन्मासं पितॄन्देवांश्च तर्पयन् ॥ ५९ ॥

Transliteration

tato gatvā prayāgaṃ tu sarvadevābhirakṣitam | brahmacārī vasanmāsaṃ pitṝndevāṃśca tarpayan || 59 ||

Translation

Dann gehe man nach Prayāga, die von allen Devas behütet wird, und lebe dort einen Monat als Brahmacārin, indem man Tarpana darbringt zur Sättigung der Ahnen und der Götter.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: सम्बन्ध (Discourse/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablative adverb)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); from √गम् ‘to go’

• प्रयागम्: to Prayāga
• प्रयागम्: कर्म (Karma/Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

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

• सर्व-देव-अभिरक्षितम्: protected by all the gods
• सर्व-देव-अभिरक्षितम्: विशेषण (Adjectival to ‘प्रयागम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अभि-रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वदेव); ततः ‘सर्वदेव’ + ‘अभिरक्षित’ (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to ‘प्रयागम्’)

• ब्रह्मचारी: a brahmacārin (celibate student)
• ब्रह्मचारी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• वसन्: dwelling/staying
• वसन्: कर्ता (Kartā; participial, qualifying subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• मासम्: for a month
• मासम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time-span)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कालावधि (duration)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• तर्पयन्: satisfying (with offerings)
• तर्पयन्: कर्ता (Kartā; participial, qualifying subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप्/तर्पय् (धातु; √तृप् causative)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) from causative ‘तर्पयति’; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Prayāga-vāsa (tīrtha-vrata, implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Prayaga
• Pitrs
• Devas

FAQs

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

It presents Prayāga as a divinely protected tīrtha where disciplined residence (brahmacarya) combined with tarpana integrates devotion, purity, and gratitude to both devas and pitṛs—making pilgrimage a complete dharmic practice.

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

By framing the pilgrimage as reverent service—self-restraint in a sacred place and honoring divine and ancestral beings—this verse channels bhakti into concrete observance rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application is emphasized: the procedure-oriented idea of tarpana (a Kalpa/Smārta-prayoga domain) and vrata-style discipline (brahmacarya for a set period) as part of tīrtha-vidhi.