Shloka 171

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

सर्वकामफला वृक्षास्तिष्ठंति ऋषयो गताः । स्त्रीसहस्राकुले रम्ये मंदाकिन्यास्तटे शुभे ॥ १७१ ॥

Transliteration

sarvakāmaphalā vṛkṣāstiṣṭhaṃti ṛṣayo gatāḥ | strīsahasrākule ramye maṃdākinyāstaṭe śubhe || 171 ||

Translation

അവിടെ സർവകാമഫലം നൽകുന്ന വൃക്ഷങ്ങൾ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; ആ നിലയിൽ എത്തിയ ഋഷിമാർ വസിക്കുന്നു. ശുഭമായ മന്ദാകിനിയുടെ തീരത്ത് ആ രമ്യദേശം ആയിരം സ്ത്രീകളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सर्वकामफलाः: bearing fruits of all desires
• सर्वकामफलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काम + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (वृक्षाः-विशेषण); समास: सर्वे कामाः येषां फलानि/फलम् इति (बहुवचनार्थे कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोग; प्रचलितरूपे तत्पुरुष)

• वृक्षाः: trees
• वृक्षाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तिष्ठन्ति: stand/are present
• तिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गताः: gone/arrived
• गताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त (past participle) विशेषण (ऋषयः-विशेषण)

• स्त्रीसहस्राकुले: in a place crowded with a thousand women
• स्त्रीसहस्राकुले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्री + सहस्र + आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्थाने/तटे-विशेषण); समास: स्त्रीणां सहस्रेण आकुलम् (तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, अर्थतः ‘crowded with a thousand women’)

• रम्ये: in the delightful (place)
• रम्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मन्दाकिन्याः: of Mandākinī (river)
• मन्दाकिन्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तटे: on the bank
• तटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (तटे-विशेषण)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Mandakini
• Rishis

FAQs

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

It glorifies a tīrtha by portraying it as a place where merit ripens easily: wish-fulfilling trees, realized sages, and an auspicious riverbank indicate heightened sacred potency (puṇya-kṣetra) for worship, vows, and purification.

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

By presenting the Mandākinī bank as a spiritually charged setting where sages abide, the verse implies that devotion and worship performed in such a tīrtha become more focused and fruitful—supporting bhakti through sacred association (satsaṅga) and holy place (kṣetra).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It primarily reflects tīrtha-dharma (applied dharma) rather than a specific Vedāṅga: the practical takeaway is choosing an auspicious place (śubha-deśa) for ritual acts like snāna, japa, and vrata observance to enhance ritual efficacy.