Shloka 19

Devanagari script

यत्रायजत भूतात्मा पूर्वमेव पितामह: । प्रयागमिति विख्यातं तस्माद्‌ भरतसत्तम

Transliteration

yatrāyajata bhūtātmā pūrvam eva pitāmahaḥ | prayāgam iti vikhyātaṃ tasmād bharatasattama ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Because the Grandsire—ancient, all-pervading in spirit—performed sacrifice there in former times, that place came to be renowned as Prayāga, O best of the Bharatas.”

Word by Word

यत्रwhere

आयजतperformed sacrifice/worshipped

भूतात्माthe great-souled one (of exalted nature)

पूर्वम्formerly, earlier

एवindeed, just

पितामहःthe Grandfather (Brahmā)

प्रयागम्Prayāga

इतिthus, as

विख्यातम्well-known, famed

तस्मात्therefore; from that (reason/place)

भरतसत्तमO best of the Bharatas

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Pitāmaha (Brahmā)

Prayāga

Bharatasattama (addressee from the Bharata lineage)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse grounds a sacred place’s authority in exemplary ancient ritual: a tīrtha becomes revered because foundational figures performed yajña there, linking geography with ethical memory, tradition, and the pursuit of merit.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana explains the etymic and reputational basis of the place-name “Prayāga,” stating that it is famous because the Grandsire (Pitāmaha, i.e., Brahmā) once performed sacrifice there.