Shloka 73

The Greatness of Gayā

Gayā-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

स्नायीत भास्मना तत्र अभिगम्य वृषध्वजम् । ब्राह्मणानां भवेद्देवि व्रतं द्वादशवार्षिकम् ॥ ७३ ॥

Transliteration

snāyīta bhāsmanā tatra abhigamya vṛṣadhvajam | brāhmaṇānāṃ bhaveddevi vrataṃ dvādaśavārṣikam || 73 ||

Translation

Tại đó, sau khi tắm với tro thiêng (bhasma), hãy đến gần Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva). Ôi Devī, đối với các brāhmaṇa, pháp hành này trở thành lời nguyện mười hai năm.

Word by Word

• स्नायीत: should bathe
• स्नायीत: क्रिया (Kriyā/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; विधि (should bathe)

• भास्मना: with ash
• भास्मना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• अभिगम्य: having approached
• अभिगम्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Pūrvakriyā/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि√गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle): having approached

• वृषध्वजम्: Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)
• वृषध्वजम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषध्वज (प्रातिपदिक: वृष + ध्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; शिवस्य विशेषण-नाम (one whose banner is the bull)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवि: O देवी
• देवि: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• द्वादशवार्षिकम्: of twelve years
• द्वादशवार्षिकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश-वार्षिक (प्रातिपदिक: द्वादश + वार्षिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying व्रतम्)

Speaker

Unspecified (dialogue voice addressing Devī; likely a Purāṇic narrator within the Uttara-Bhāga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Dvādaśavārṣika-vrata (twelve-year vow)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)
• Devī
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

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

It links purification (bhasma-snāna) with direct worship of Śiva (Vṛṣadhvaja) and frames the act as a rigorous, merit-bearing vrata—especially weighty when undertaken by brāhmaṇas for an extended twelve-year term.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined approach (abhigamya) and ritual purity leading to darśana/worship of the deity; devotion is not only feeling but sustained commitment through a long vrata.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: bathing rites with bhasma, rules of approach to a deity, and the formal classification of a dvādaśavārṣika (twelve-year) vrata as a structured observance.