Shloka 49

Tīrtha-vidhi (Procedure for Holy Places) — Prayāgarāja-māhātmya

Devanagari script

गंगायां भास्करक्षेत्रे मुंडनं यो न कारयेत् । स कोटिकुलसंयुक्त आकल्पं रौरवं व्रजेत् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

gaṃgāyāṃ bhāskarakṣetre muṃḍanaṃ yo na kārayet | sa koṭikulasaṃyukta ākalpaṃ rauravaṃ vrajet || 49 ||

Translation

若有人不在恒河之畔的圣地婆斯迦罗圣域行剃发（mūṇḍana）之礼，则其人连同延及亿万家族的族系，将堕入罗柔罗婆地狱，历尽一劫。

Word by Word

• गङ्गायाम्: in the Ganga
• गङ्गायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भास्कर-क्षेत्रे: in Bhāskara-kṣetra (Sun’s sacred place)
• भास्कर-क्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): भास्करस्य क्षेत्रम्

• मुण्डनम्: tonsure / shaving of the head
• मुण्डनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्डन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• कारयेत्: should cause to be done / should have done
• कारयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) [णिच् causative: कारय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कोटि-कुल-संयुक्तः: associated with crores of families (in consequence)
• कोटि-कुल-संयुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): कोटिकुलैः संयुक्तः (associated with crores of families)

• आकल्पम्: for an aeon / until the end of the kalpa
• आकल्पम्: Kāla-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आकल्प (अव्ययभावे/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverbial use), अर्थः: यावत्कल्पम् (for the duration of an aeon)

• रौरवम्: Raurava (hell)
• रौरवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta (narrating Narada Purana’s Tirtha-Mahatmya passage; teaching framed in the Narada tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ganga
• Bhaskara-ksetra
• Raurava

FAQs

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

It underscores the Narada Purana’s tirtha-mahātmya theme: specific rites at specific sacred sites (here, mundana at Gaṅgā’s Bhāskara-kṣetra) are treated as binding dharma; neglect is presented as spiritually dangerous and socially consequential for one’s lineage.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as obedient reverence to sacred geography and prescribed observances—honoring the Gaṅgā and the kṣetra through the mandated rite, which is portrayed as a concrete act of submission to divine order rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalpa-oriented ritual discipline (Kalpa/Vedāṅga in the sense of procedural dharma): performing a prescribed saṁskāra-like act (muṇḍana) at a designated tirtha, and recognizing the purāṇic mapping of karmic results (naraka/phalashruti).