Verse 1.1.24-25

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.1.24-25:

एकदा तीर्थ-मूर्धन्ये प्रयागे मुनि-पुङ्गवाः ।
माघे प्रातः कृत-स्नानाः श्री-माधव-समीपतः ॥ २४ ॥
उपविष्टा मुदाविष्टा मन्यमानाः कृतार्थताम् ।
कृष्णस्य दयितो’सीति श्लाघन्ते स्म परस्परम् ॥ २५ ॥

ekadā tīrtha-mūrdhanye prayāge muni-puṅgavāḥ |
māghe prātaḥ kṛta-snānāḥ śrī-mādhava-samīpataḥ || 24 ||
upaviṣṭā mudāviṣṭā manyamānāḥ kṛtārthatām |
kṛṣṇasya dayito’sīti ślāghante sma parasparam || 25 ||

Once in the month of Māgha at Prayāga, the crown-jewel of pilgrimage places, a gathering of grand sages finished their morning bath and sat down before Śrī Mādhava.

Considering themselves fortunate, they began happily praising one another by proclaiming, “You are Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s favored recipient.” In this way, they mutually gave respect to each other.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

In order to fulfill the promise to his mother Uttarā-devī, namely, “I shall present the full essence of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam talks,” Śrī Parīkṣit Mahārāja begins by citing an example from the verse beginning with ekadā.

Once in Prayāga, noble sages gathered for a mutual discussion among themselves. What were they discussing? They were telling one another, “You are the favored recipient of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” However, the sādhus, considering themselves low and insignificant, could not glorify themselves. They were thus mutually praising one another as the recipient of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s divine mercy.

Why is Prayāga celebrated as the king of all holy places? There Śrī Gaṅgā and Śrī Yamunā conjoin, and they further praise tīrtha-rāja Prayāga’s morning bath in the month of Māgha (January-February).

This morning bath performed in Māgha bestows bhakti for Śrī Mādhava. Śrī Daṭṭātreya proclaims in the Padma Purāṇa:

व्रत-दान-तपोभिश् च न तथा प्रीयते हरिः
माघे मज्जन-मात्रेण यथा प्रीणाति माधवः

vrata-dāna-tapobhiś ca na tathā prīyate hariḥ
māghe majjana-mātreṇa yathā prīṇāti mādhavaḥ

“Performing vows (vrata), giving charity (dāna), austerities (tapasyā) and so on, do not satisfy Śrī Hari as much as the taking of bath in the morning in the month of Māgha.”

Therefore, the noble sages, upon completing their morning duties with a bath, reverently seated themselves joyfully near their worshipful deity Śrī Mādhava of Prayāga tīrtha.