Shloka 123

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

प्रातः स्नायी भवेन्नित्यं मासौ द्वौ माघफाल्गुनौ / यस्तु माघं समासाद्य प्रातः स्नायी हविष्यभुक्

Transliteration

prātaḥ snāyī bhavennityaṃ māsau dvau māghaphālgunau / yastu māghaṃ samāsādya prātaḥ snāyī haviṣyabhuk

Translation

മാഘവും ഫാൽഗുണവും—ഈ രണ്ട് മാസങ്ങളിൽ പ്രതിദിനം പ്രഭാതസ്നാനം ചെയ്യണം. മാഘം വന്നപ്പോൾ പ്രഭാതത്തിൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് ഹവിഷ്യം (യാഗത്തിലെ ലളിതാഹാരം) മാത്രം ഭുജിക്കുന്നവൻ പുണ്യം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• स्नायी: one who bathes
• स्नायी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• भवेत्: should be / should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverbial accusative: always)

• मासौ: (the) two months
• मासौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन (Dual)

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (qualifying मासौ)

• माघफाल्गुनौ: (namely) Māgha and Phālguna
• माघफाल्गुनौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ + फाल्गुन (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: 'माघश्च फाल्गुनश्च'

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• माघम्: the month Māgha
• माघम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; कालवाचक (month-name)

• समासाद्य: having reached (i.e., when Māgha arrives)
• समासाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (having reached/after arriving)

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• स्नायी: one who bathes
• स्नायी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• हविष्यभुक्: one who eats only havis (ritual food)
• हविष्यभुक्: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविष्य + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक-समास; भुज्=भोजने)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: हविष्यम् भुङ्क्ते इति (one who eats oblation/ritual food)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Seasonal vrata: daily dawn-bathing in Magha-Phalguna, supported by dietary restraint (havis-bhuk), accrues dharmic merit.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-shuddhi through niyama and ahara; karma refined by restraint becomes a purifier of mind.

Application: Observe a Magha vrata: dawn bath daily, simplify diet (havis-like: plain, sattvic, offered/remembered as sacred), reduce indulgences for two months.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: snana-tirtha (unspecified)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: vrata and snana-phala discussions around monthly observances; Garuda Purana: Ekadashi and dietary restraint as bhakti-supporting disciplines

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Māgha
• Phālguna

FAQs

What is the importance of Māgha snāna in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that daily dawn-bathing in the month of Māgha (and also Phālguna) is a recommended dharmic observance that generates religious merit, especially when paired with a simple, disciplined diet (havis).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it teaches preparatory dharma—purity, discipline, and merit—considered supportive for auspicious outcomes after death and for reducing negative karmic tendencies.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

In Māgha/Phālguna, adopt a steady routine: bathe early, keep conduct pure, and choose simple sattvic food; even a modest, consistent practice aligns with the verse’s emphasis on daily discipline.