Shloka 25

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

हिमवत्पृष्ठतीर्थेषु सर्वपापप्रणाशनः । वेदविद्भिर्विनिर्द्दिष्टं इंद्रलोकप्रदो हि सः । सर्वमासोत्तमो माघो मोक्षदो बदरीवने ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

himavatpṛṣṭhatīrtheṣu sarvapāpapraṇāśanaḥ | vedavidbhirvinirddiṣṭaṃ iṃdralokaprado hi saḥ | sarvamāsottamo māgho mokṣado badarīvane || 25 ||

Translation

Among the sacred fords upon the slopes of the Himālaya, it is the destroyer of all sins; declared by the knowers of the Veda, it bestows the world of Indra. Indeed, Māgha is the best of all months, and in Badarīvana it grants liberation (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• हिमवत्-पृष्ठ-तीर्थेषु: at the tīrthas on the back/slopes of Himavat
• हिमवत्-पृष्ठ-तीर्थेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—हिमवतः पृष्ठे (स्थित) तीर्थेषु (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष, स्थाननिर्देश)

• सर्व-पाप-प्रणाशनः: destroyer of all sins
• सर्व-पाप-प्रणाशनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + प्र-√नश् (धातु) + ल्युट्/अन (प्रातिपदिक ‘प्रणाशन’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—सर्वेषां पापानां प्रणाशनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वेद-विद्भिः: by the knowers of the Veda
• वेद-विद्भिः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक ‘knower’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—वेदं वेत्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• विनिर्दिष्टम्: declared/indicated
• विनिर्दिष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-√दिश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘declared/indicated’

• इन्द्र-लोक-प्रदः: giver of Indra’s world (heaven)
• इन्द्र-लोक-प्रदः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—इन्द्रलोकं प्रददाति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ

• सः: he/that (Māgha)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सर्व-मास-उत्तमः: best of all months
• सर्व-मास-उत्तमः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—सर्वेषां मासानाम् उत्तमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• माघः: Māgha
• माघः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मोक्ष-दः: giver of liberation
• मोक्ष-दः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक ‘giver’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—मोक्षं ददाति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• बदरी-वने: in Badarī forest
• बदरी-वने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बदरी (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—बदर्याः वनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-vrata (Māgha observance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Himavat (Himalaya)
• Indraloka (Svarga)
• Badarīvana (Badarīnātha)

FAQs

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

It elevates Himalayan tīrthas—especially Badarīvana during the month of Māgha—as exceptionally potent: they destroy sins, confer heavenly merit (Indraloka), and, in Badarīvana, can culminate in mokṣa.

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

By praising Badarīvana and Māgha as mokṣa-giving, the verse supports pilgrimage-and-observance as bhakti-infused practice—approaching a Vishnu-linked sacred landscape (Badarīnātha region) with faith, purity, and disciplined vrata.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects calendrical/ritual prioritization (proper timing of observances in Māgha), aligning with Jyotiṣa-style month-based merit and Dharma-śāstra-like guidance on tīrtha and vrata results.