Shloka 14

The Greatness of the Month of Māgha

Māgha-snāna, Harivāsara, and the Kāṣṭhīlā-Upākhyāna

Devanagari script

यावन्नोदयते सूर्यस्तावत्स्नानं विधीयते । आच्छादिते घनैर्व्योम्नि ह्युद्गमिष्यन्तमर्थयेत् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

yāvannodayate sūryastāvatsnānaṃ vidhīyate | ācchādite ghanairvyomni hyudgamiṣyantamarthayet || 14 ||

Translation

El baño ritual debe realizarse sólo mientras el sol aún no ha salido. Si el cielo está cubierto por densas nubes, debe uno orar con reverencia al sol que está por elevarse, y proceder conforme a ello.

Word by Word

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय (as long as)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• उदयते: rises
• उदयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √उद्-इ (उदयते) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सूर्यः: the sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तावत्: until then
• तावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय (until then/so long)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृस्थानी

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (वि+धा) (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is enjoined/ordained)

• आच्छादिते: when (it is) covered
• आच्छादिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आच्छादित (कृदन्त; √छद् धातु)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; (व्योम्नि) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• घनैः: by clouds
• घनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; करण-भावे

• व्योम्नि: in the sky
• व्योम्नि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• उद्गमिष्यन्तम्: (the sun) about to rise
• उद्गमिष्यन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्+√गम् (धातु) → उद्गमिष्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भविष्यत्कालिक-कर्तरि शतृ/शानच्-प्रायः (future participle sense: about to rise); विशेष्यः—सूर्यम् (अध्याहृतम्)

• अर्थयेत्: one should request/entreat
• अर्थयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta (narrating Narada Purana teachings in a dharma/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"Moves from precise rule (pre-sunrise bathing) to a gentle devotional gesture: praying for the sun’s emergence when hidden by clouds."}

Characters & Entities

• Surya

FAQs

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

It emphasizes discipline in nitya-karma: performing snāna at the proper sacred time (before sunrise) to align the body-mind with purity and dharmic order (ṛta).

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

Even in a rule about timing, it directs the practitioner to remember and pray to Sūrya when visibility is blocked—turning routine ritual into mindful reverence, a basic form of bhakti expressed through daily practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Jyotiṣa-style time reckoning for rites: the injunction hinges on sunrise as a key marker, and provides a practical rule for cloudy conditions when the sun’s appearance is obscured.