Shloka 44

Prayaga-mahatmya

Glory of Prayaga and the Magha Bath at Triveni

Devanagari script

पंचयोजनविस्तीर्णं प्रयागस्य तु मंडलम् । प्रवेशादस्य भूमौ तु अश्वमेधः पदे पदे ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

paṃcayojanavistīrṇaṃ prayāgasya tu maṃḍalam | praveśādasya bhūmau tu aśvamedhaḥ pade pade || 44 ||

Translation

普拉雅伽的神圣坛域（maṇḍala）广达五由旬；自踏入此圣地之刻起，步步皆具马祭（Aśvamedha）之功德。

Word by Word

• पञ्च-योजन-विस्तीर्णम्: spread over five yojanas
• पञ्च-योजन-विस्तीर्णम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + विस्तीर्ण (कृदन्त, √स्तॄ/स्तृ 'to spread')
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; adjective)

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

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: emphasis/contrast)

• मण्डलम्: region/circle (area)
• मण्डलम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• प्रवेशात्: from entering/upon entry
• प्रवेशात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Ablative, Singular)

• अस्य: of this (place)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Pronoun, Genitive, Singular)

• भूमौ: on the ground/land
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• अश्वमेधः: Aśvamedha sacrifice
• अश्वमेधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• पदे: at (each) step/place
• पदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• पदे: at every step
• पदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for distributive sense)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Prayaga
• Ashvamedha

FAQs

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

It proclaims Prayāga as an exceptionally potent tīrtha-kṣetra: merely entering its five-yojana sacred region grants immense merit, symbolically equated with repeated Aśvamedha results.

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

By magnifying the sanctity of Prayāga, the verse encourages pilgrimage undertaken with śraddhā; such tīrtha-sevā supports Viṣṇu-bhakti through remembrance, purity, and devotional intent—even when the verse frames the benefit in ritual terms.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects dharma-śāstric and kalpa-oriented thinking: the idea of kṣetra-māhātmya (place-based merit), the use of traditional measures like yojana, and the ritual benchmark of Aśvamedha as a comparative standard.