Shloka 156
Prayaga-mahatmya
Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni
योगिनां श्रीमतां चापि स्वेच्छया लभते जनिम् । गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये करीषाग्निं तु धारयेत् ॥ १५६ ॥
yogināṃ śrīmatāṃ cāpi svecchayā labhate janim | gaṅgāyamunayormadhye karīṣāgniṃ tu dhārayet || 156 ||
Até mesmo os yogins e os prósperos obtêm o renascimento (desejado) conforme a própria vontade. Entre o Gaṅgā e o Yamunā, deve-se manter o fogo de esterco (fogo de austeridade) como disciplina prescrita.
Narada (as narrator within the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya discourse; traditional dialogue framework with Sanatkumara lineage implied)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It asserts the extraordinary fruit of tirtha-based austerity: at the sacred zone between the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, disciplined tapas can grant such merit that even the manner of one’s future embodiment (rebirth) becomes attainable ‘as desired’—a hallmark of exalted spiritual power and purification.
In the Narada Purana’s tirtha-mahātmya style, external discipline (like karīṣāgni tapas) is presented as a supportive practice that purifies the devotee and intensifies śraddhā; such purification is understood to aid steady remembrance and worship of the Lord associated with the tirtha, even when the verse itself emphasizes tapas rather than explicit nāma-saṅkīrtana.
Ritual praxis (kalpa-oriented discipline) is implied: maintaining a regulated sacred fire (here, a dung-fueled austerity fire) at a specific tirtha-location (between Gaṅgā and Yamunā) reflects rule-based observance—how place (deśa) and prescribed method (vidhi) shape the vrata’s efficacy.