Listen, O noble one, to the wondrous glory of Prayāga, a sacred region spanning five yojanas in width. Simply by entering this blessed land, with every step taken, a pilgrim gains the merit equal to that of performing a horse sacrifice. Such is the power of Prayāga that one who gives up his life there not only secures his own liberation but also rescues seven generations of ancestors who have passed and fourteen generations yet to come. Knowing this, O king among kings, one should always be devoted to acts of service. Yet, those without faith, whose minds are clouded by sin, cannot reach this divine place—Prayāga, ever protected by the gods. Those driven by desire—whether by affection or greed for wealth—cannot hope to gain the true fruits of pilgrimage or merit, for their hearts are not pure. A question arises: What becomes of one who, ignorant of proper conduct, sells all his possessions at Prayāga? O Grandfather, pray tell. Listen, O king, to this profound secret that destroys all sins: whoever bathes at Prayāga for a month, with senses under control, is freed from all sins and attains the supreme state. For those who have broken trust, hear the result: if, living on alms, one bathes three times daily for three months at Prayāga, he is certainly freed from all sin. Even if one, out of ignorance, undertakes such acts of pilgrimage here, he will enjoy fulfillment of all desires, be honored in heaven, and receive a place abundant in wealth and grain. Thus, the one who is complete in knowledge always enjoys pleasures, and by his merit, his ancestors and great-grandfathers are rescued from the torments of hell. You, steadfast in dharma and a knower of truth, have asked again and again; for your sake, this ancient secret has been revealed. Today, my own birth is made fruitful, my lineage is redeemed, for I am blessed simply by beholding you, O sage. By your presence, O righteous one, I am freed from sin, and now I know myself, cleansed of every stain. By fortune, your birth is auspicious; by fortune, your lineage is blessed. Reciting these truths brings ever-increasing merit; hearing them destroys all sin. Now, you ask of the Yamunā: what merit lies there, what fruits may be gained? Hear as I recount what I have seen and heard. The goddess Yamunā, daughter of the Sun and famed throughout the three worlds, flows as the blessed river in that region. Just as Gaṅgā emerged, so too did Yamunā take her course; for thousands of yojanas, her praise alone destroys sin. There, O Yudhishthira, those who bathe and drink from the Yamunā gain merit by their praises and behold auspicious signs. By immersion and drinking, one purifies up to the seventh generation; and whoever gives up their life there attains the highest state. On the southern bank of the Yamunā lies Agni Tīrtha, and to the west, the tīrtha of Dharmarāja, known as Naraka. Those who bathe and die there ascend to heaven and are not reborn. Indeed, thousands of tīrthas exist along the southern bank of the Yamunā. To the north is the tīrtha of the great-souled Āditya, called Niranjana, where the gods themselves, along with Indra, reside. Those who worship there at twilight, three times daily, are served by the gods and revered by the wise. Therefore, be devoted and perform the sacred bathings at these tīrthas, for many others too are remembered as destroyers of all sins. Whoever bathes there and dies ascends to heaven and is not reborn. Gaṅgā and Yamunā are both remembered as equal in their fruits; it is only out of seniority that Gaṅgā is worshipped everywhere. Thus, O son of Kuntī, perform bathing at all tīrthas, for whatever sin is committed in life is instantly destroyed. Whoever rises early and recites or hears this sacred account is freed from all sins and attains the world of heaven. I have heard, O king, what was spoken by Brahmā in the Purāṇa born of Brahmā: thousands, hundreds, and tens of thousands of tīrthas—each holy, pure, and remembered as granting the highest state. Among them, Somatīrtha is of great merit and destroys even the gravest sins; by bathing there alone, one can save hundreds of people. Therefore, strive with all effort to bathe there. On earth, Naimisha is holy; in the sky, Pushkara; and among all three worlds, Kurukshetra stands distinguished. Why, then, should one abandon all these and praise only one? The greatness spoken of any one tīrtha is truly immeasurable, not to be doubted, and unsurpassed. Why, then, do you praise so much dharma for so little effort? Tell me this doubt, as you have seen and heard. What should not be believed should not be spoken, even if it appears evident, for those who lack faith and whose minds are afflicted by sin. The faithless, impure, ill-minded, and those abandoned by auspiciousness—all these are sinners, and thus you have spoken this. Now, listen to the greatness of Prayāga, as seen and heard, both directly and indirectly. As one has seen, as one has not seen, and as one has heard, let scripture be your authority, and unite your self with yoga. Yet, another who struggles there does not attain yoga; even after thousands of lifetimes, yoga is attained by humans only with great difficulty. Just as yoga is achieved after a thousand practices, so too, even if one gives all his jewels to the Brahmins, he does not attain yoga by that gift alone. But at Prayāga, upon death, all this is attained, and not otherwise. I will tell you the chief reason—have faith, O descendant of Bharata—how Brahman is seen everywhere in all beings. Whatever exists in a Brahmin, even if one says it is not Brahman, still, Brahman must be honored everywhere, in all beings. Thus, the sacredness of these holy places, the power of faith, and the universality of Brahman are revealed for those who seek the highest good.