Shloka 3
Tīrtha-vidhi (Procedure for Holy Places) — Prayāgarāja-māhātmya
माहात्म्यं चाधुना ब्रूहि प्रयागस्यापि सुव्रत । तीर्थराजः प्रयागाख्यः श्रुतः पूर्वं मया गुरो ॥ ३ ॥
māhātmyaṃ cādhunā brūhi prayāgasyāpi suvrata | tīrtharājaḥ prayāgākhyaḥ śrutaḥ pūrvaṃ mayā guro || 3 ||
Ngayon, ipahayag mo rin ang banal na kadakilaan ng Prayāga, O ikaw na may dakilang panata; sapagkat noon pa man, O iginagalang na guro, narinig ko na ang tīrtha na tinatawag na Prayāga ang “hari ng mga banal na pook.”
Narada (disciple) addressing Sanatkumara (teacher)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It frames Prayāga as the foremost pilgrimage site (tīrtharāja) and formally requests its māhātmya, establishing that hearing and knowing a tīrtha’s glory is itself a dharmic act that prepares one for pilgrimage and merit.
Bhakti here appears as humble inquiry and reverence toward the guru—Narada seeks sacred knowledge with faith, a key devotional posture that precedes practicing tīrtha-related worship and remembrance.
The verse points to tīrtha-māhātmya as applied dharma/ritual knowledge—guidance that informs where and why to perform vows (vrata) and pilgrimage acts; it is practical religious procedure rather than a technical Vedāṅga lesson.