Shloka 18

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

चतुर्गुणशतं तच्च महानद्योस्तु संगमे । सहस्रगुणितं सर्वं तत्फलं मकरे रवौ ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

caturguṇaśataṃ tacca mahānadyostu saṃgame | sahasraguṇitaṃ sarvaṃ tatphalaṃ makare ravau || 18 ||

Translation

महानद्योर् संगमे तदेव पुण्यं चतुर्गुणशतं भवति; मकरस्थे रवौ तस्य सर्वस्य फलस्य सहस्रगुणवृद्धिः स्यात्॥

Word by Word

• caturguṇaśatam: a hundredfold with four qualities / fourfold hundred (i.e., 400-fold)
• caturguṇaśatam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur-guṇa-śata (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + गुण + शत)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी/निर्देश-भावः)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात, conjunction)

• mahānadyos: of the two great rivers
• mahānadyos: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-nadī (प्रातिपदिक; महा + नदी)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Dvivacana (द्विवचन); कर्मधारयसमासः

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa/viśeṣaṇa-nipāta (अवधारण/विशेषण-निपात, emphatic particle)

• saṃgame: at the confluence
• saṃgame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; locative of place (अधिकरण)

• sahasraguṇitam: multiplied a thousandfold
• sahasraguṇitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra-guṇita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सहस्र + गुणित < √guṇ (गुण्) caus./denom. ‘to multiply’)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; past passive participle sense (क्त/क्तवत्-भावः), used adjectivally

• sarvam: everything/entire (result)
• sarvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; pronoun/adjective used substantively

• tatphalam: that fruit/result
• tatphalam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat-phala (प्रातिपदिक; तत् + फल)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘of that’)

• makare: when (the sun is) in Makara (Capricorn)
• makare: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; locative (अधिकरण) referring to Makara-rāśi

• ravau: in/when the sun
• ravau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; locative (अधिकरण)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-snāna (seasonal observance; implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sun)
• Makara
• Mahānadyāḥ (great rivers)
• Saṅgama (confluence)

FAQs

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

It teaches the tirtha-mahātmya principle that the same dharmic act yields greater punya when performed at exceptionally sacred locations (river confluences) and at potent cosmic timings (Sun’s Makara transit).

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

By emphasizing sacred time and place, it supports disciplined devotional practice—snāna, dāna, japa, and worship done with faith at a saṅgama or during Makara is said to bear intensified spiritual fruit, encouraging consistent bhakti-oriented observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology/astronomy): the verse links results to Ravi’s placement in Makara, indicating the importance of calendrical timing (saṅkrānti) in planning tīrtha rituals and vrata-related observances.