Shloka 25

The Greatness of the Month of Māgha

Māgha-snāna, Harivāsara, and the Kāṣṭhīlā-Upākhyāna

Devanagari script

दिवाकर जगन्नाथ प्रभाकर नमोऽस्तु ते । परिपूर्णं कुरुष्वेदं माघस्नानं ममाच्युत ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

divākara jagannātha prabhākara namo'stu te | paripūrṇaṃ kuruṣvedaṃ māghasnānaṃ mamācyuta || 25 ||

Translation

ಹೇ ದಿವಾಕರ, ಜಗನ್ನಾಥ, ಪ್ರಭಾಕರ! ನಿಮಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ. ಹೇ ಅಚ್ಯುತ, ನನ್ನ ಈ ಮಾಘಸ್ನಾನ ವ್ರತವನ್ನು ಪರಿಪೂರ್ಣಗೊಳಿಸು.

Word by Word

• divākara: O Sun (maker of day)
• divākara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divākara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• jagat-nātha: O Lord of the world
• jagat-nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: jagataḥ nāthaḥ

• prabhākara: O light-maker (Sun)
• prabhākara: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhākara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nipāta used as indeclinable interjection; governs dative/genitive sense

• astu: let there be
• astu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Imperative/लोट्, Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); enclitic pronoun

• paripūrṇam: complete/fulfilled
• paripūrṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paripūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); predicate/object complement

• kuruṣva: make (you)
• kuruṣva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Imperative/लोट्, Ātmanepada, 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• māgha-snānam: the Māgha bath (ritual bath in Māgha)
• māgha-snānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक) + snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: māghe (māgha-māse) snānam

• mama: my
• mama: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• acyuta: O Acyuta (unfailing one)
• acyuta: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta) relaying the prescribed Māgha-snāna prayer within the Narada Purana’s tīrtha/vrata instruction (dialogue tradition: Nārada–Sanatkumāra).

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-snāna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Divākara (Sun)
• Jagannātha
• Acyuta (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It frames Māgha-snāna as a sacred vrata completed through humility and divine grace—honoring Sūrya as the visible source of light while seeking Acyuta (Viṣṇu) to perfect the merit of the observance.

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

The verse is a direct act of surrender (praṇāma and prārthanā): devotion is shown by praising the divine, then offering one’s practice (Māgha-snāna) and asking the Lord to make it spiritually fruitful.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual timing and observance (kalā/saṃvatsara discipline aligned with the Māgha month), a practical application often guided by Jyotiṣa (Vedāṅga astrology/astronomy) for vrata calendars and auspicious periods.