Shloka 51

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

प्रयागाद्धि विनिष्क्रांता सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता । तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

prayāgāddhi viniṣkrāṃtā sarvatīrthapuraskṛtā | tapanasya sutā devī triṣu lokeṣu viśrutā || 51 ||

Translation

وہ یقیناً پرَیاغ ہی سے نمودار ہو کر نکلتی ہے، اور تمام تیرتھوں میں سرفہرست مان کر معزّز کی جاتی ہے۔ وہ تپَن (سورج) کی بیٹی دیوی ہے، جو تینوں لوکوں میں مشہور ہے۔

Word by Word

• प्रयागात्: from Prayāga
• प्रयागात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन — Masculine, Ablative (5th), Singular

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — 'indeed/for'

• विनिष्क्रान्ता: having emerged
• विनिष्क्रान्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + निस् + क्रम् (धातु) → विनिष्क्रान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past participle, Feminine, Nominative, Singular; 'having come forth/issued'

• सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता: honoured by all sacred places
• सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरस् (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + कृ (धातु) → पुरस्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (सर्वाणि तीर्थानि पुरस्कृतानि यस्याः/या) = 'honoured/placed in front by all tīrthas'

• तपनस्य: of Tapana (the Sun)
• तपनस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• सुता: daughter
• सुता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• देवी: goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to सुता

• त्रिषु: in three
• त्रिषु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Locative (7th), Plural; numeral adjective (of लोकेषु)

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Locative, Plural

• विश्रुता: renowned
• विश्रुता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + श्रु (धातु) → विश्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past participle, Feminine, Nominative, Singular; 'well-known'

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a tirtha-mahatmya context; traditional dialogue framework with the Sanatkumara brothers in the Narada Purana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Prayaga
• Tapana (Surya)
• Ganga

FAQs

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

The verse elevates Prayāga as the fountainhead of supreme tīrtha-merit and identifies the goddess-river (Ganga) as preeminent among all pilgrimage places, making approach to her a direct means of accruing puṇya and purification.

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

By glorifying the goddess revered across the three worlds, the verse encourages श्रद्धा (śraddhā) and devotional reverence toward sacred manifestations of the divine; honoring and approaching Ganga at Prayāga becomes an embodied form of bhakti expressed through tīrtha-sevā and remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Primarily Kalpa in practice: it implies tīrtha-related observances (snāna, pilgrimage discipline, and merit logic). It also reflects Purāṇic geography used alongside Jyotiṣa-based auspicious timing for tīrtha-bathing, even though no specific nakṣatra or muhūrta is stated in this verse.