Shloka 109

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

केशमूलान्युपाश्रित्य सर्वपापानि देहिनाम् । तिष्ठंति तीर्थस्नानेन तस्मात्तान्यत्र वापयेत् ॥ १०९ ॥

Transliteration

keśamūlānyupāśritya sarvapāpāni dehinām | tiṣṭhaṃti tīrthasnānena tasmāttānyatra vāpayet || 109 ||

Translation

देहधारियों के सब पाप केशों की जड़ों में आश्रय लेते हैं; इसलिए तीर्थ-स्नान के बाद वहीं उन केशों का मुंडन कराना चाहिए।

Word by Word

• केश-मूलानि: hair-roots
• केश-मूलानि: आधार (Ādhāra/locative sense implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—केशानां मूलानि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उपाश्रित्य: having resorted to/depending on
• उपाश्रित्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-√श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• सर्व-पापानि: all sins
• सर्व-पापानि: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—सर्वाणि पापानि (कर्मधारय)

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine; generic for embodied beings)

• तिष्ठन्ति: remain/abide
• तिष्ठन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• तीर्थ-स्नानेन: by bathing at a sacred ford
• तीर्थ-स्नानेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); समासः—तीर्थे स्नानम् (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: हेतु (Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (सर्वनाम, तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-तस्मात् (indeclinable ablatival adverb), हेत्वर्थ (therefore/from that reason)

• तानि: those (hair-roots)
• तानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वापयेत्: should deposit/plant (discard)
• वापयेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative: cause to sow/plant/throw in)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Uttara-Bhaga tīrtha-māhātmya context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It links tīrtha-snāna with an external act of renunciation and cleansing—removing hair—symbolizing the deliberate shedding of accumulated pāpa after pilgrimage bathing.

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

While primarily a tīrtha-ritual instruction, it supports bhakti by prescribing disciplined purity practices that prepare the devotee’s body and mind for sustained worship and remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: the verse gives a specific prayoga—after tīrtha-snāna, perform vapana (shaving) as a purificatory observance.