Shloka 116

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

स्वर्णश्रृंगीं रौप्यखुरां चैलकंठीं पयस्विनीम् । सवत्सां श्रोत्रियं साधुं ग्राहयित्वा यथाविधि ॥ ११६ ॥

Transliteration

svarṇaśrṛṃgīṃ raupyakhurāṃ cailakaṃṭhīṃ payasvinīm | savatsāṃ śrotriyaṃ sādhuṃ grāhayitvā yathāvidhi || 116 ||

Translation

स्वर्णशृङ्गीं रौप्यखुरां चैलकण्ठीं पयस्विनीम् । सवत्सां श्रोत्रियं साधुं ग्राहयित्वा यथाविधि ॥

Word by Word

• स्वर्ण: golden
• स्वर्ण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासे पूर्वपदत्वेन

• शृङ्गीम्: horned (one)
• शृङ्गीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शृङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गाम् implied)

• रौप्य: silver
• रौप्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासे पूर्वपदत्वेन

• खुराम्: hoofed (with hooves)
• खुराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; समासे उत्तरपदत्वेन (रौप्य-खुरा)

• चैल: cloth
• चैल: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासे पूर्वपदत्वेन

• कण्ठीम्: necked/with a neck (adorned)
• कण्ठीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कण्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गाम् implied)

• पयस्विनीम्: milch (yielding milk)
• पयस्विनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पयस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (milk-giving)

• सवत्साम्: with a calf
• सवत्साम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; सह-तत्पुरुषः (वत्सेन सह)

• श्रोत्रियम्: a learned Vedic Brahmin
• श्रोत्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; ब्राह्मणविशेषः

• साधुम्: virtuous
• साधुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (श्रोत्रियम्)

• ग्राहयित्वा: having caused (him) to accept
• ग्राहयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (absolutive/gerund); णिजन्त (causative) ‘ग्राहय-’ = ‘to cause to accept’

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (as/according to)

• विधि: rule/ritual procedure
• विधि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावे (यथा-विधि)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dana/ritual context within Uttara-Bhaga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhakti","emotional_journey":"Ritual precision and reverence: the verse moves from ornate description of the cow to the proper, rule-bound transfer to a worthy recipient."}

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Shrotriya (Veda-knower)
• Gau (cow)

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes dharmic dāna performed with proper procedure (yathāvidhi): offering a well-adorned milch cow with her calf to a worthy śrotriya is presented as a high-merit act that generates puṇya and supports Vedic continuity.

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

Though framed as ritual charity, the instruction aligns with bhakti-centered dharma: sincere offering, purity of recipient, and scriptural compliance are treated as ways of pleasing the divine through selfless giving rather than mere display.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalpa (ritual procedure) through the insistence on yathāvidhi and the selection of a śrotriya recipient—showing that correct injunction-based performance and proper adhikāra (eligibility) are essential in Narada Purana’s dana-vidhi.