Shloka 19

The Greatness of the Month of Māgha

Māgha-snāna, Harivāsara, and the Kāṣṭhīlā-Upākhyāna

Devanagari script

मेघपुंष्पोपपन्नेन सहान्नेन सुमध्यमे । यावकैश्चैव होतव्या गव्यसर्पिः समन्वितैः ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

meghapuṃṣpopapannena sahānnena sumadhyame | yāvakaiścaiva hotavyā gavyasarpiḥ samanvitaiḥ || 19 ||

Translation

麗しき細腰の婦人よ、「メーガプンシュパ」と呼ばれる花を混ぜた炊飯をもって、またヤーヴァカの穀粒をもって、牛乳より得たギーを添えて、ホーマ（火供）を修すべきである。

Word by Word

• मेघ-पुंष्प-उपपन्नेन: with (food) furnished with megha-puṃṣpa
• मेघ-पुंष्प-उपपन्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेघ (प्रातिपदिक) + पुंष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + उपपन्न (प्रातिपदिक; भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (मेघपुंष्पेण उपपन्नः = furnished with ‘megha-puṃṣpa’)

• सह-अन्नेन: with food
• सह-अन्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (सह + अन्न) = ‘with food’

• सु-मध्यमे: O fair-waisted one
• सु-मध्यमे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + मध्यम)

• यावकैः: with yāvaka-grains (a kind of grain)
• यावकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• होतव्याः: should be offered (in oblation)
• होतव्याः: Vidhi (विधेय/आज्ञा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हु (धातु) + तव्य (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive)

• गव्य-सर्पिः: cow’s ghee
• गव्य-सर्पिः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्पिस्/सर्पिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (गव्यम् सर्पिः = cow-ghee)

• समन्वितैः: accompanied/combined (with)
• समन्वितैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none (ritual step within Māgha observance context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It specifies pure, sattvic havis (offerings)—food, barley, flowers, and cow-ghee—showing that devotion in a tirtha setting is expressed through disciplined, scripturally guided ritual purity.

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

Bhakti here is enacted as reverent service: offering wholesome substances into Agni as an act of worship, aligning the devotee’s intention with prescribed sacred procedure.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is emphasized—what substances qualify as havis for homa (anna, yāvaka, and gavyasarpi) and how they are to be combined for offering.