Shloka 56

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

प्रजापतिमुपासंते ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः । यजंति क्रतुभिर्देवास्तथा चक्रधराः सति ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

prajāpatimupāsaṃte ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ | yajaṃti kratubhirdevāstathā cakradharāḥ sati || 56 ||

Translation

ତପୋଧନ ଋଷିମାନେ ପ୍ରଜାପତିଙ୍କୁ ଉପାସନା କରନ୍ତି; ଦେବମାନେ କ୍ରତୁ-ଯଜ୍ଞଦ୍ୱାରା ଯଜନ କରନ୍ତି; ଏବଂ ହେ ସତୀ, ଚକ୍ରଧର (ବିଷ୍ଣୁଭକ୍ତ)ମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଅର୍ଚ୍ଚନା-ସମ୍ମାନ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• प्रजापतिम्: Prajāpati
• प्रजापतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — 'Prajāpati'

• उपासन्ते: worship
• उपासन्ते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन — 'worship/attend upon'

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — 'sages'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चयक (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction) — 'and'

• तपोधनाः: those rich in austerity
• तपोधनाः: विशेषण (Appositional qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — बहुव्रीहि 'whose wealth is tapas' (epithet of ऋषयः)

• यजन्ति: perform sacrifice
• यजन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन — 'sacrifice/worship'

• क्रतुभिः: with sacrificial rites
• क्रतुभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन — 'with rites/sacrifices'

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — 'gods'

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय — 'thus/likewise'

• चक्रधराः: discus-bearers
• चक्रधराः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन — बहुव्रीहि 'those who bear the discus' (epithet, e.g., Viṣṇu's attendants)

• सति: O virtuous lady
• सति: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative function)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन — 'in/when (O) good lady' (vocative sense expected; form is locative)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_journey":"Presents orderly, dignified worship: ascetic sages revere Prajāpati; gods perform kratus; then extends the same reverence to ‘cakradharas,’ adding a subtle heroic/majestic undertone."}

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati
• Rishis
• Devas
• Chakradhara

FAQs

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

It presents multiple valid modes of reverence—tapas-based worship by sages and kratu-based worship by devas—affirming that devotion and ritual, when aligned with dharma, are both honored paths.

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

By including the “cakradhara” (those aligned with Viṣṇu’s cakra), the verse implies that loving allegiance to the Lord and reverent worship can stand alongside formal Vedic rites as a legitimate expression of bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to kratu (Vedic sacrifice), which practically depends on Vedāṅga competencies—especially Kalpa (ritual procedure) and Śikṣā/Vyākaraṇa (correct recitation and linguistic precision).