Shloka 7

The Account of the Fruits of Bathing at Particular Sacred Places

Tīrtha-viśeṣa-snāna-phala

Devanagari script

मेषप्रवेशार्ककाले कार्तिक्यां वापि मोहिनि । माघस्नानाधिकं प्राहुः कमलासनपूर्वकाः ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

meṣapraveśārkakāle kārtikyāṃ vāpi mohini | māghasnānādhikaṃ prāhuḥ kamalāsanapūrvakāḥ || 7 ||

Translation

Ôi Mohinī, các bậc hiền triết, khởi đầu từ Brahmā ngự trên tòa sen, tuyên rằng việc tắm thiêng trong tháng Māgha là tối thắng—dẫu thực hiện vào lúc Mặt Trời nhập Meṣa (Bạch Dương) hay thậm chí trong tháng Kārttika.

Word by Word

• meṣa-praveśa-arka-kāle: at the time when the sun enters Aries
• meṣa-praveśa-arka-kāle: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + praveśa (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (time of the sun’s entry into Aries)

• kārtikyām: in Kārtikī (Kārtika time)
• kārtikyām: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtikī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; (कārtikī = Kārtika full-moon/seasonal observance; here locative time)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात

• mohini: O Mohinī (enchantress)
• mohini: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• māgha-snāna-adhikam: greater than the Māgha bath
• māgha-snāna-adhikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक) + snāna (प्रातिपदिक) + adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम्/विशेष्यभावः (as predicate object: ‘more than Māgha-bath’); समासः तत्पुरुष

• prāhuḥ: they said/declare
• prāhuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• kamala-āsana-pūrvakāḥ: those beginning with the Lotus-seated (Brahmā)
• kamala-āsana-pūrvakāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (those whose predecessor/foremost is ‘lotus-seat’ i.e., Brahmā first—sages beginning with Brahmā)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; vocative address 'Mohinī' appears within the instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Māgha-snāna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma (Kamalasana)
• Surya

FAQs

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

It ranks Māgha-snāna (ritual bathing in the Māgha season) as exceptionally meritorious, even when compared with other highly praised sacred times like Meṣa-saṅkrānti and the month of Kārttika.

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

By elevating Māgha-snāna, the verse supports a bhakti-oriented sādhana where simple, time-honored observances—performed with faith and purity—become powerful aids to remembrance of the divine and pursuit of dharma.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Jyotiṣa (Vedic astronomy/astrology) is implied through the reference to the Sun’s entry into Meṣa (a saṅkrānti), showing how calendrical and solar transitions guide the timing and perceived potency of rituals.