तत्र कूपे महाराज विश्रुता भरतर्षभ। समुद्रास्तत्र चत्वारो निवसन्ति युधिष्ठिर
There, O great king, is a renowned well, O bull among the Bharatas; there, O Yudhishthira, the four oceans reside.
तत्रोपस्पृश्य राजेन्द्र पितृदेवार्चने रतः। नियतात्मा नरः पूतो गच्छेत परमां गतिम्
There, after touching the water, devoted to the worship of ancestors and gods, a self-restrained man becomes purified and attains the highest state.
ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र शृङ्गबेरपुरं महत्। यत्रतीर्णो महाराज रामो दाशरथिः पुरा
Then, O king, one should go to the great city of Shrngaverapura, where formerly Rama, son of Dasharatha, crossed.
रकतस्मिंस्तीर्थे महाबाहो स्नात्वा पापैः प्रमुच्यते। गङ्गायां तु नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः
At that holy place, O mighty-armed, by bathing one is freed from sins; and by bathing in the Ganga, a devoted celibate—
विधूतपाप्मा भवति वाजपेयं च विन्दति। ततो मुञ्जवटं गच्छेत्स्थानं देवस्य धीमतः
Becomes cleansed of sin and attains the fruit of a Vajapeya sacrifice; then one should go to Munjavaṭa, the place of the wise god.
अभिगम्य महादेवमभिवाद्य च भारत। प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत् यगाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्
Having approached and saluted Mahadeva, O Bharata, and having circumambulated, one obtains the merit of having sons.
तस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु जाह्नव्यां स्नात्वा पापैः प्रमुच्यते। ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र प्रयागमृषिसंस्तुतम्
At that holy place on the Jahnavi, by bathing one is freed from sins; then, O king, one should go to Prayaga, praised by the sages.
यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा दिशश्च सदिगीश्वराः। लोकपालाश्च साध्याश्च पितरो लोकसंमताः
Where Brahma and the other gods, and the guardians of the directions with their lords, and the protectors of the worlds, the Sadhyas, and the honored ancestors—
सनत्कुमारप्रमुखास्तथैव परमर्षयः। अङ्गिरःप्रमुखाश्चैव तथा ब्रह्मर्षयोऽमलाः
And the supreme sages led by Sanatkumara, and the Brahmarshis led by Angiras, pure and spotless—
तथा नागाः सुपर्णश्च सिद्धाश्चक्रचरास्तथा। सरितः सागराश्चैव गन्धर्वाप्सरसोऽपि च
And likewise the Nagas, Suparnas, Siddhas, those who move in circles, the rivers, and the oceans, and also Gandharvas and Apsaras—
हरिश्च भगवानास्ते प्रजापतिपुरस्कृतः। तत्र त्रीण्यग्निकुण्डानि येषां मध्येन जाह्नवी
And the blessed Hari himself, preceded by the lord of creatures, abides there; there are three fire-altars, through the midst of which flows the Jahnavi.
प्रयागादभिनिष्क्रान्ता सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता। तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता
Having emerged from Prayaga, honored above all holy places, the goddess, daughter of the Sun, renowned in the three worlds.
यमुना गङ्गया सार्धं संगता लोकपावनी। गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्यं पृथिव्या जघनं स्मृतम्
The Yamuna, joined with the Ganga, purifies the world; the region between the Ganga and Yamuna is regarded as the womb of the earth.
प्रयागं जघनस्थानमुपस्थमृषयो विदुः। प्रयागं सप्रतिष्ठानं कम्बलाश्वतरौ तथा
The sages know Prayaga as the place situated at the womb; Prayaga, along with Pratishthana, Kambala, and Ashvatara.
तीर्थं भोगवती चैव वेदिरेषा प्रजापतेः। तत्रवेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च मूर्तिमन्तो युधिष्ठिर
This is the sacred site called Bhogavati, the altar of Prajapati; here, O Yudhishthira, the Vedas and sacrifices are manifest.
प्रजापतिमुपासन्ते ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः। यजन्ते क्रतुभिर्देवास्तथा चक्रधरा नृपाः
Here, ascetic sages worship Prajapati; the gods perform sacrifices, and kings bearing weapons do likewise.
ततः पुण्यतमं नाम त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत। प्रयागं सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रवदन्त्यधिकं विभो
Therefore, O Bharata, Prayaga is called the most sacred in the three worlds; it is declared superior to all other holy places, O mighty one.
श्रवणात्तस्य तीर्थस् नामसंकीर्तनादपि। मृत्युकालभयाच्चापि नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते
By hearing of this holy place, by uttering its name, or by fear at the hour of death, a person is freed from sin.
तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्संगमे लोकविश्रुते। पुण्यं स फलमाप्नोति राजसूयाश्वमेधयोः
Whoever performs ablution at the renowned confluence attains the merit equal to that of the Rajasuya and Ashvamedha sacrifices.
एषा यजनभूमिर्हि देवानामभिसंस्कृता। तत्र रदत्तं सूक्ष्ममपि महद्भवति भारत
This is indeed the sacrificial ground sanctified by the gods; even the smallest offering made here becomes great, O Bharata.
न वेदवचनात्तात न लोकवचनादपि। मतिरुत्क्रमणीया ते प्रयागमरणं प्रति
Neither by the words of the Vedas nor by the words of men should your mind turn away from dying at Prayaga.
दशतीर्तसहस्राणि षष्टिः कोट्यस्तथाऽपराः। येषां सान्निध्यमत्रैव कीर्तितं कुरुन्दन
Ten thousand holy places and sixty million others are said to be present here, O descendant of the Kurus.
चतुर्विद्ये च यत्पुण्यं सत्यवादिषु चैव यत्। स्नात एव तदाप्नोति गङ्गायमुनसंगमे
Whatever merit is gained from the four Vedas or from truth-speaking men, one attains it simply by bathing at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna.
तत्र भोगवती नाम वासुकेस्तीर्थमुत्तमम्। तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
There is the supreme holy place called Bhogavati, belonging to Vasuki; whoever bathes there obtains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice.
तत्र हंसप्रपतनं तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्। दशाश्वमेधिकं चैव गङ्गायां कुरुनन्दन
There is the sacred site called Hamsaprapatana, renowned in the three worlds, and the ten-Ashvamedha site on the Ganga, O descendant of the Kurus.
कुरुक्षेत्रसमा गङ्गा यत्रतत्रावगाहिता। विशेषो वै कनखले प्रयागे परमं महत्
Wherever the Ganga is entered, it is equal to Kurukshetra; but the special greatness is at Kanakhala and at Prayaga.
यद्यकार्यशतं कृत्वा कृतंगङ्गावसेचनम्। सर्वं तत्तस्य गङ्गापो दहत्यग्निरिवेन्धनम्
Even if one has committed a hundred wrongful acts, if one has bathed in the Ganga, all those sins are burned away by the waters of the Ganga, just as fire consumes fuel.
सर्वं कृतयुगे पुण्यंत्रेतायां पुष्करं स्मृतम्। द्वापरेऽपि कुरुक्षेत्रं गङ्गा कलियुगे स्मृता
All merit in the Krita age is remembered at Pushkara; in the Treta, at Pushkara; in the Dvapara, at Kurukshetra; and in the Kali age, at the Ganga.
पुष्करे तु तपस्तप्येद्दानं दद्यान्महालये। मलये त्वग्निमारोहेद्भृगुतुन्दे त्वनाशनम्
At Pushkara, one should perform austerity; at Mahalaya, give gifts; at Malaya, ascend the fire; and at Bhrigutunda, undertake fasting.
पुष्करे तु कुरुक्षेत्रे रगङ्गायां मगधेषु च। स्नात्वा तारयते जन्तुः सप्तसप्तावरांस्तथा
At Pushkara, Kurukshetra, the Ganga, and in Magadha, by bathing, a creature delivers seven generations on both sides.