O Yudhishthira, know that among all the worlds, the wise hold Prayaga in the highest reverence. It is called the king of sacred fords, and truly, it is to be honored above all. Even Brahma himself, the creator, ever remembers Prayaga, for it is the supreme tirtha—none other can compare. When one has reached the king of sacred fords, there remains nothing else worthy of desire. Consider this: just as no one who has attained divinity would wish to return to mortal life, so too, nothing surpasses Prayaga in sanctity. You have now heard of this holy place as I have described it. Again and again, I marvel at how such attainment is possible—through yoga, through virtuous action, and through residence in heaven. The giver, through acts of charity, gains the fruits of his deeds—prosperity, enjoyment, and rewards such as cows. Yet I ask again: by what actions does one obtain the earth itself? Listen, O mighty-armed king, as I tell you: through prescribed acts, one may obtain the earth, cows, fire, Brahmins, scriptures, gold, water, and even women. But remember, those who revile their mother and father—such lowest of men—can never ascend; so declares the Lord of all creatures. The attainment of yoga, O Yudhishthira, is a place most difficult to reach. Those who commit evil deeds fall into a terrible hell. If one steals elephants, horses, cows, carts, jewels, pearls, gold, or anything in secret and then gives it as a gift, such acts do not lead to heaven. Instead, those who act thus are tormented again in hell, while in heaven, only the true givers enjoy the fruits of their generosity. Thus, I have spoken to you of yoga, of dharma, of the giver’s merit, and of the fruits of truth and untruth, of being and non-being. Now, as the Sun himself has declared, I will explain further. Hear once more, O king, of the greatness of Prayaga, and also of Naimisha, Pushkara, Gotirtha, and the vast Sindhu ocean. There are other holy places, such as Gaya, Citraka, and the confluence of the Ganga with the ocean, along with countless sacred stones and shrines. The wise say that at Prayaga alone, ten thousand sacred bathing places and thirty crore more are always established. Within Prayaga, there are three fire-altars, and from their midst, the sacred Jahnavi—the Ganga—emerges, revered by all other tirthas. The goddess Yamuna, daughter of the Sun and famed in all three worlds, joins with the Ganga here, bringing benefit to all beings. The land between the Ganga and Yamuna is called the womb of the earth. O tiger among kings, even the sixteenth part of Prayaga cannot be matched by any other place. According to Vayu, three and a half crore sacred bathing places exist in heaven, on earth, and in the sky—all are considered aspects of the Ganga. Prayaga is the seat of Kambala and Ashvatara, and also of Bhogavati; it is the altar of Prajapati. Here, O Yudhishthira, the Vedas and sacrifices take form, and ascetic sages devoted to austerity worship Prajapati. The gods themselves come here to perform sacrifices, and so do kings bearing weapons. Therefore, nothing in the three worlds is holier than Prayaga. By its power, Prayaga surpasses all other sacred places: ten thousand tirthas and three crore more are found there. Where the blessed Ganga flows, that land is the abode of ascetics, known as the field of the perfected, adorned by the river’s sacred bank. Know this as truth, for yourself and for the virtuous. Whisper it in the ear of a friend or a devoted disciple. This knowledge is blessed, it leads to heaven, it is true, it brings happiness, it is holy, righteous, purifying, and is the highest dharma. This is the secret of the great sages, the destroyer of all sins; even a twice-born who studies this becomes pure and attains heaven. Whoever hears the glory of this sacred tirtha daily, remaining ever pure, attains the memory of past births and rejoices in the highest heaven. The good, who follow the example of the virtuous, attain these sacred places; therefore, O Kauravya, bathe at the tirthas and keep your mind straight. By your proper questioning, O mighty one, I have told you all this. In doing so, your ancestors and forefathers are delivered. Vows, charity, austerity, pilgrimage, all sacrifices with proper gifts, yoga, Sankhya, good conduct, and other means of knowledge—all these together do not equal even the sixteenth part of Prayaga’s merit. In this way, knowledge, yoga, and pilgrimage are attained through great effort. By these, one reaches the supreme state. Knowledge arises in all three times—past, present, and future—and one attains the world of heaven. O great sage, how has all this been described about Prayaga? Tell us everything, so that I too may be delivered. Listen, O King, to all that has been declared about Prayaga: Brahma, Vishnu, Ishana, all the gods, and the imperishable Lord—all are present there. Brahma creates all beings, both immobile and mobile; in the supreme world, Vishnu sustains them so that all creatures flourish. At the end of the aeon, Rudra withdraws the entire universe, yet the holy place of Prayaga never perishes. He who truly beholds the Lord of all beings, truly sees. By striving in this way, one remains and attains the highest state. Tell me, O sage, how this tradition persists, and why the foremost beings of all worlds abide here. In Prayaga dwell Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara. I will tell you the reason—listen to the truth, O Yudhishthira. The region of Prayaga extends for five yojanas. These deities remain here for the protection of all and to ward off evil deeds. To the north of Pratishthana, Brahma abides in disguise; and the Blessed Lord, in the form of Veni Madhava, stands there. Such is the glory and sanctity of Prayaga, as declared by the wise and as experienced by the gods themselves.