Shloka 4

The Greatness of Prayāga: Confluence Theology and the Totality of Tīrthas

Devanagari script

त्रीणि चाप्यग्निकुंडानि येषां मध्ये तु जाह्नवी । प्रयागादभिनिष्क्रांता सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता

Transliteration

trīṇi cāpyagnikuṃḍāni yeṣāṃ madhye tu jāhnavī | prayāgādabhiniṣkrāṃtā sarvatīrthapuraskṛtā

Translation

There are also three Agni-kuṇḍas, in the midst of which flows the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā). Emerging from Prayāga, she goes forth, honored as foremost among all tīrthas.

Word by Word

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (numeral adjective)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle: also/even)

• अग्निकुण्डानि: fire-pits
• अग्निकुण्डानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'of fire'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• येषाम्: of which/whose
• येषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (m/n), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (plural)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• जाह्नवी: Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• जाह्नवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाह्नवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• प्रयागात्: from Prayāga
• प्रयागात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• अभिनिष्क्रान्ता: having come forth/emerged
• अभिनिष्क्रान्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि + नि + √क्रम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying Jāhnavī)

• सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता: honoured/preceded by all sacred fords
• सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरस् (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + √कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative; 'with all tīrthas in front/precedence'), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (narratorial voice within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: चापि = च + अपि; अप्यग्निकुण्डानि = अपि + अग्निकुण्डानि; प्रयागादभिनिष्क्रान्ता = प्रयागात् + अभिनिष्क्रान्ता.

Characters & Entities

• Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• Prayāga

FAQs

What does this verse say about Prayāga’s importance among tīrthas?

It presents Prayāga as a pivotal sacred geography point: Gaṅgā (Jāhnavī) is described as ‘emerging from Prayāga’ and being honored as foremost among all tīrthas, reinforcing Prayāga’s tīrtha-māhātmya (pilgrimage greatness).

What are the “three Agni-kuṇḍas” mentioned here?

They are described as three sacred fire-pits/altars (agnikuṇḍa). The verse frames Gaṅgā as flowing amid them, suggesting a ritually charged landscape where sacrificial symbolism and tīrtha sanctity converge.

What spiritual practice is implicitly encouraged by this verse?

Pilgrimage and reverence to Gaṅgā and Prayāga: by portraying Gaṅgā as foremost among tīrthas and locating her within a sacrificial-sacred setting, the verse supports tīrtha-yātrā, bathing/ritual purity, and devotional remembrance of holy places.