Shloka 1

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

वसुरुवाच । श्रृणु मोहिनि वक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं वेदसंमतम् । प्रयागस्य विधानेन स्नात्वा यत्र विशुध्यति ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

vasuruvāca | śrṛṇu mohini vakṣyāmi māhātmyaṃ vedasaṃmatam | prayāgasya vidhānena snātvā yatra viśudhyati || 1 ||

Translation

وسو نے کہا—اے موہنی! سنو، میں پرَیاگ کی وہ عظمت بیان کرتا ہوں جو وید سے ثابت ہے؛ جہاں مقررہ وِدھی کے مطابق اشنان کرنے سے انسان پاک ہو جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• वसुः: Vasu
• वसुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• मोहिनि: O Mohinī
• मोहिनि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness (sacred glory)
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• वेद-संमतम्: approved by the Vedas
• वेद-संमतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + संमत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘approved by the Veda’; विशेषण of माहात्म्यम्

• प्रयागस्य: of Prayāga
• प्रयागस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• विधानेन: by the prescribed method
• विधानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive); ‘having bathed’

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb) ‘where’

• विशुध्यति: becomes purified
• विशुध्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Vasu

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prayaga
• Mohini
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It introduces Prayāga’s tirtha-māhātmya as “Veda-approved” and states that purification arises specifically from bathing there according to proper scriptural procedure.

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

By framing Prayāga as a sanctifying sacred space validated by the Vedas, it sets the foundation for devotional practice through tīrtha-sevā—approaching holy places with faith and following prescribed acts like snāna as an offering-oriented discipline.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual application of vidhi (injunction)—the principle of performing acts “according to procedure,” aligning with Kalpa/Vaidika-kriyā (ritual science) rather than merely bathing informally.