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.
स्त्रीसहस्रावृते रम्ये मन्दाकिन्यास्तटे शुभे मोदते ऋषिभिः सार्धं सुकृतेनेह कर्मणा
Surrounded by a thousand women on the beautiful bank of the Mandakini, he delights with the sages, as a result of his virtuous deeds here.
सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वैः पूज्यते दिवि दैवतैः ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जम्बूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत्
He is honored in heaven by siddhas, charanas, gandharvas, and gods; then, fallen from heaven, he becomes a lord of Jambudvipa.
ततः शुभानि कर्माणि चिन्तयानः पुनः पुनः गुणवान्वित्तसम्पन्नो भवतीह न संशयः
Then, reflecting again and again on virtuous deeds, he becomes endowed with virtues and wealth in this world—of this there is no doubt.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा धर्मसत्यप्रतिष्ठितः गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये यस्तु गां सम्प्रयच्छति
Whoever, established in righteousness and truth by deed, mind, and word, gives a cow between the Ganga and Yamuna,
सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताश्च यदि वान्यत्परिग्रहम् स्वकार्ये पितृकार्ये वा देवताभ्यर्चने ऽपि वा सफलं तस्य तत्तीर्थं यथावत्पुण्यमाप्नुयात्
Whether it be gold, jewels, pearls, or any other gift, for his own purpose, for his ancestors, or in worship of the gods, that holy place yields its full merit to him.
एवं तीर्थे न गृह्णीयात् पुण्येष्वायतनेषु च निमित्तेषु च सर्वेषु ह्य् अप्रमत्तो भवेद्द्विजः
Thus, one should not accept gifts at such a holy place or in sacred shrines; in all such occasions, a twice-born should always be vigilant.
कपिलां पाटलावर्णां यस्तु धेनुं प्रयच्छति स्वर्णशृङ्गीं रौप्यखुरां कांस्यदोहां पयस्विनीम्
Whoever gives a tawny-red cow, with reddish hue, golden horns, silver hooves, bronze vessel for milking, and yielding milk,
प्रयागे श्रोत्रियं सन्तं ग्राहयित्वा यथाविधि शुक्लाम्बरधरं शान्तं धर्मज्ञं वेदपारगम्
Having caused a worthy Brahmin at Prayaga to accept it according to the proper rule—one who is calm, clad in white, learned in righteousness, and accomplished in the Vedas—
सा गौस्तस्मै प्रदातव्या गङ्गायमुनसंगमे वासांसि च महार्हाणि रत्नानि विविधानि च
That cow should be given to him at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, along with garments of great value and various kinds of jewels.
यावद्रोमाणि तस्या गोः सन्ति गात्रेषु सत्तम तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते
For as many hairs as are on the body of that cow, O best of men, for that many thousands of years he is honored in the world of heaven.