शृणु राजन्महाबाहो सर्वपातकनाशनम् प्रयागगमनं श्रेष्ठं नराणां पुण्यकर्मणाम्
Hear, O king of mighty arms, the destruction of all sins: the best journey to Prayaga for men of virtuous deeds.
भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि पुरा कल्पे यथास्थितम् ब्रह्मणा देवमुख्येन यथावत्कथितं मुने
O Lord, I wish to hear as it was in the ancient cycle, as spoken by Brahma, chief among the gods, and narrated properly by you, O sage.
कथं प्रयागगमनं नराणां तत्र कीदृशम् मृतानां का गतिस्तत्र स्नातानां तत्र किं फलम्
How is it that people go to Prayāga? What is the fate of those who die there? What is the result for those who bathe there?
ये वसन्ति प्रयागे तु ब्रूहि तेषां च किं फलम् एतन्मे सर्वमाख्याहि परं कौतूहलं हि मे
Tell me, what is the result for those who dwell in Prayāga? Explain all this to me, for I have great curiosity about it.
कथयिष्यामि ते वत्स यच्छ्रेष्ठं तत्र यत्फलम् पुरा हि सर्वविप्राणां कथ्यमानं मया श्रुतम्
I shall tell you, dear one, the supreme result there, as I once heard it recited among all the Brahmins in ancient times.
आ प्रयागप्रतिष्ठानाद् आपुराद्वासुकेर्ह्रदात् कम्बलाश्वतरौ नागौ नागश्च बहुमूलकः एतत्प्रजापतेः क्षेत्रं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्
From Prayāga to Pratiṣṭhāna, from the city to Vāsuki’s lake, and between Kambala and Aśvatara, and the serpent Bahumūlaka—this is the field of Prajāpati, renowned in the three worlds.
तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यान्ति ये मृतास्ते ऽपुनर्भवाः ततो ब्रह्मादयो देवा रक्षां कुर्वन्ति संगताः
Those who bathe there ascend to heaven; those who die there do not return to birth. Therefore, Brahmā and the other gods gather to protect it.
अन्ये च बहवस्तीर्थाः सर्वपापहराः शुभाः न शक्याः कथितुं राजन् बहुवर्षशतैरपि संक्षेपेण प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रयागस्य तु कीर्तनम्
There are many other holy places, auspicious and destroyers of all sins, O king, but they cannot be described even in hundreds of years. I shall briefly recount the glory of Prayāga.
षष्टिर्धनुःसहस्राणि यानि रक्षन्ति जाह्नवीम् यमुनां रक्षति सदा सविता सप्तवाहनः
Sixty thousand bows guard the Ganges, and the Sun, with his seven steeds, always protects the Yamunā.
प्रयागं तु विशेषेण सदा रक्षति वासवः मण्डलं रक्षति हरिर् दैवतैः सह संगतः
Indra especially always protects Prayāga, and Hari, together with the gods, guards the sacred precinct.
तं वटं रक्षति सदा शूलपाणिर्महेश्वरः स्थानं रक्षन्ति वै देवाः सर्वपापहरं शुभम्
Śiva, the wielder of the trident, always protects that banyan tree; the gods protect that place, which is auspicious and destroys all sins.
अधर्मेणावृतो लोको नैव गच्छति तत्पदम् स्वल्पमल्पतरं पापं यदा ते स्यान्नराधिप प्रयागं स्मरमाणस्य सर्वमायाति संक्षयम्
The world, enveloped in unrighteousness, does not attain that state; but even the smallest sin of one who remembers Prayāga, O king, is entirely destroyed.
दर्शनात्तस्य तीर्थस्य नामसंकीर्तनादपि मृत्तिकालम्भनाद्वापि नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते
By seeing that holy place, by merely uttering its name, or by taking up its earth, a person is freed from sin.
पञ्च कुण्डानि राजेन्द्र तेषां मध्ये तु जाह्नवी प्रयागस्य प्रवेशे तु पापं नश्यति तत्क्षणात्
O king, among the five pools there, the Ganges is in the middle; at the entrance to Prayāga, sin is destroyed instantly.
योजनानां सहस्रेषु गङ्गायाः स्मरणान्नरः अपि दुष्कृतकर्मा तु लभते परमां गतिम्
Even at a thousand leagues’ distance, by remembering the Ganges, a person—even one who has committed evil deeds—attains the highest state.
कीर्तनान्मुच्यते पापाद् दृष्ट्वा भद्राणि पश्यति अवगाह्य च पीत्वा तु पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम्
By praising her, one is freed from sin; by seeing her, one beholds auspicious things; by bathing and drinking, one purifies up to the seventh generation of one’s family.
सत्यवादी जितक्रोधो ह्य् अहिंसायां व्यवस्थितः धर्मानुसारी तत्त्वज्ञो गोब्राह्मणहिते रतः
One who speaks truth, has conquered anger, is established in nonviolence, follows righteousness, knows reality, and delights in the welfare of cows and Brahmins—
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये स्नातो मुच्येत किल्बिषात् मनसा चिन्तयन्कामान् अवाप्नोति सुपुष्कलान्
Bathing between the Ganges and Yamunā, one is freed from sin; whatever desires one contemplates in mind, one obtains them in abundance.
ततो गत्वा प्रयागं तु सर्वदेवाभिरक्षितम् ब्रह्मचारी वसेन्मासं पितॄन्देवांश्च तर्पयेत् ईप्सितांल्लभते कामान् यत्र यत्राभिजायते
Then, going to Prayāga, protected by all the gods, a celibate should dwell there for a month and offer oblations to ancestors and gods; wherever he is born, he attains his desired wishes.
तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता समागता महाभागा यमुना तत्र निम्नगा तत्र संनिहितो नित्यं साक्षाद्देवो महेश्वरः
The goddess, daughter of the Sun, renowned in the three worlds, the blessed Yamunā, flows there; and there, Lord Maheśvara is always present in person.
दुष्प्राप्यं मानुषैः पुण्यं प्रयागं तु युधिष्ठिर देवदानवगन्धर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः तदुपस्पृश्य राजेन्द्र स्वर्गलोकमुपासते
O Yudhishthira, Prayaga is a sacred place difficult for humans to attain; O king, gods, demons, gandharvas, sages, siddhas, and charanas, after bathing there, dwell in the heavenly realms.
शृणु राजन्प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं पुनरेव तु यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Hear again, O king, the greatness of Prayaga; by hearing this, one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.
आर्तानां हि दरिद्राणां निश्चितव्यवसायिनाम् स्थानमुक्तं प्रयागं तु नाख्येयं तु कदाचन
For those who are afflicted, poor, or steadfast in resolve, Prayaga is declared as the place; it should never be spoken of lightly.
व्याधितो यदि वा दीनो वृद्धो वापि भवेन्नरः गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत्
Whether diseased, distressed, or aged, if a man gives up his life between the Ganga and Yamuna,
दीप्तकाञ्चनवर्णाभैर् विमानैः सूर्यसंनिभैः गन्धर्वाप्सरसां मध्ये स्वर्गे क्रीडति मानवः
He plays in heaven among gandharvas and apsaras, in radiant aerial chariots shining like gold and the sun.
ईप्सितांल्लभते कामान् वदन्ति ऋषिपुंगवाः सर्वरत्नमयैर्दिव्यैर् नानाध्वजसमाकुलैः वराङ्गनासमाकीर्णैर् मोदते शुभलक्षणैः
He obtains all desired enjoyments, say the foremost sages, in celestial abodes adorned with all kinds of jewels, filled with many banners, surrounded by beautiful women with auspicious marks, delighting in their company.
गीतवाद्यविनिर्घोषैः प्रसुप्तः प्रतिबुध्यते यावन्न स्मरते जन्म तावत्स्वर्गे महीयते
Awakened by the sounds of singing and music, he enjoys honor in heaven until he forgets his birth.
ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टः क्षीणकर्मा दिवश्च्युतः हिरण्यरत्नसम्पूर्णे समृद्धे जायते कुले तदेव स्मरते तीर्थं स्मरणात्तत्र गच्छति
Then, fallen from heaven when his merit is exhausted, he is born in a prosperous family filled with gold and jewels; he remembers that holy place, and by recalling it, he goes there again.
देशस्थो यदि वारण्ये विदेशस्थो ऽथवा गृहे प्रयागं स्मरमाणो ऽपि यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत् ब्रह्मलोकमवाप्नोति वदन्ति ऋषिपुंगवाः
Whether in his own land, in the forest, abroad, or at home, whoever departs remembering Prayaga attains the world of Brahma, say the foremost sages.
सर्वकामफला वृक्षा मही यत्र हिरण्मयी ऋषयो मुनयः सिद्धास् तत्र लोके स गच्छति
He goes to that world where the trees grant all desires, the earth is golden, and sages, ascetics, and perfected beings dwell.