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.
पुनाति कीर्तिता पापं दृष्टा भद्रं प्रयच्छति। अवगाढा च पीता च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम्
When spoken of, it purifies sin; when seen, it grants auspiciousness; when entered or drunk, it purifies up to the seventh generation.
यावदस्थि मनुष्यस् गङ्गायाः स्पृशते जलम्। तावत्स पुरुषो राजन्स्वर्गलोके महीपते
As long as a person's bones touch the water of the Ganga, O King, that person remains in the heavenly realm, O Lord of the Earth.
यथा पुण्यानि तीर्थानि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च। उपास्य पुण्यं लब्ध्वा च भवत्यमरलोकभाक्
Just as holy places and sacred shrines, when worshipped and having gained merit, make one a partaker in the world of the immortals.
न गङ्गासदृशं तीर्थं न देवः केशवात्परः। ब्राह्मणेभ्यः परं नास्ति एवमाह पितामहः
There is no sacred place equal to the Ganga, no god greater than Kesava, and nothing higher than the Brahmanas; so says the grandsire.
यत्र गङ्गा महाराज स देशस्तत्तपोकवनम्। सिद्धिक्षेत्रं च तज्ज्ञेयं गङ्गातीरसमाश्रितम्
Where the Ganga flows, O great king, that land is called Tapovana; know that as the field of accomplishment, situated on the banks of the Ganga.
इदं सत्यंद्विजातीनां साधूनामात्मनोपि च। सुहृदां च जपेत्कर्मे शिष्यस्यानुगतस्य च
This is truth for the twice-born, for the virtuous, for oneself, for friends; let one recite it for the actions of a disciple and for one who follows.
इदं धन्यमिदं मेध्यमिदं स्वर्ग्यमिदं सुखम्। इदं पुण्यमिदं रम्यं पावनं धर्म्यमुत्तमम्
This is blessed, this is pure, this leads to heaven, this is happiness; this is meritorious, this is delightful, purifying, supremely righteous.
महर्षीणामिदं गुह्यं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्। अधीत्यद्विजमध्ये च निर्मलः स्वर्गमाप्नुयात्
This is the secret of the great sages, the remover of all sins; having studied it among the twice-born, one attains heaven, purified.
श्रीमत्स्वर्ग्यं तथा पुण्यं सपत्नशमनं शिवम्। मेधाजननमग्र्यं वै तीर्थवंशानुकीर्तनम्
It is glorious, heavenly, meritorious, destroys enemies, auspicious; it is the foremost producer of intelligence, the recounting of the lineage of sacred places.
अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रमधनो धनमाप्नुयात्। शूद्रो यथेप्सितान्कामान्ब्राह्मणः पारगः पठन्। महीं विजयते राजा वैश्यो धनमवाप्नुयात्
The childless gains a son, the poor obtains wealth; the Shudra attains desired pleasures, the Brahmana crosses over by reciting; the king conquers the earth, the Vaishya acquires wealth.