Shloka 76

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

प्रयागे माघमासे तु त्र्यहं स्नानेन यत्फलम् । नाश्वमेधसहस्रेण तत्फलं लभते सति ॥ ७६ ॥

Transliteration

prayāge māghamāse tu tryahaṃ snānena yatphalam | nāśvamedhasahasreṇa tatphalaṃ labhate sati || 76 ||

Translation

ಓ ಸತೀ! ಪ್ರಯಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಘಮಾಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂರು ದಿನ ಸ್ನಾನದಿಂದ ಉಂಟಾಗುವ ಪುಣ್ಯವು, ಸಾವಿರ ಅಶ್ವಮೇಧ ಯಾಗಗಳಿಂದಲೂ ದೊರೆಯದು.

Word by Word

• prayāge: at Prayāga
• prayāge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• māgha-māse: in the month of Māgha
• māgha-māse: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक) + māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• tri-aham: for three days
• tri-aham: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (three days)

• snānena: by bathing
• snānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by bathing)

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Relative (which)

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation particle)

• aśvamedha-sahasreṇa: by a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices
• aśvamedha-sahasreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvamedha (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समासान्त), तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by a thousand Aśvamedhas)

• tat: that
• tat: Anuvāda (अनुवाद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• labhate: obtains
• labhate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• sati: when it is so / in that case
• sati: Saptamī-absolute (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sat (कृदन्त; √as (धातु))
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन (सप्तमी absolute), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; Locative absolute: 'when/if it is so' (i.e., in that case)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Prayaga-Mahatmya context; addressing a virtuous listener indicated by 'satī')

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-snāna (Prayāga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Prayaga
• Magha
• Ashvamedha

FAQs

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

It exalts Prayāga as a supremely potent tīrtha, declaring that even a short, disciplined Māgha-month bathing observance yields merit surpassing large-scale Vedic sacrifices, emphasizing the unique sanctity of place and time.

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

By valuing simple, accessible sacred practice (tīrtha-snānā) over grand ritual power, the verse supports a bhakti-friendly ethic: sincere observance at a holy confluence in Māgha is spiritually transformative without requiring royal resources.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Dharmashastra-style timing: it specifies the auspicious kāla (Māgha-māsa) and the vrata-like minimum duration (three days) for snāna to produce extraordinary punya.