यत्रासौ लभते जन्म सा गौस्तस्याभिजायते न च पश्यति तं घोरं नरकं तेन कर्मणा उत्तरान्स कुरून्प्राप्य मोदते कालमक्षयम्
Wherever that person is born, that cow is born with him; and by that act, he does not see that terrible hell. Having reached the northern Kurus, he enjoys endless time.
गवां शतसहस्रेभ्यो दद्यादेकां पयस्विनीम् पुत्रान्दारांस्तथा भृत्यान् गौरेका प्रति तारयेत्
If one gives a single milking cow from among a hundred thousand cows, he delivers his sons, wives, and servants, each by each, through that one cow.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु दानेषु गोदानं तु विशिष्यते दुर्गमे विषमे घोरे महापातकसम्भवे गौरेव रक्षां कुरुते तस्माद्देया द्विजोत्तमे
Therefore, among all gifts, the gift of a cow is supreme. In difficult, perilous, and dreadful situations, where great sins arise, only the cow provides protection; thus, it should be given to the best of twice-born.
यथा यथा प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं कथ्यते त्वया तथा तथा प्रमुच्ये ऽहं सर्वपापैर्न संशयः
Just as you recount the greatness of Prayaga, so, in the same measure, am I freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.
भगवन्केन विधिना गन्तव्यं धर्मनिश्चयैः प्रयागे यो विधिः प्रोक्तस् तन्मे ब्रूहि महामुने
O Lord, by what procedure should one go, with certainty in righteousness, to Prayaga? Tell me, O great sage, the prescribed rule for that.
कथयिष्यामि ते राजंस् तीर्थयात्राविधिक्रमम् आर्षेण विधिनानेन यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम्
I shall tell you, O King, the proper order of pilgrimage, according to the ancient rule, as seen and as heard.
प्रयागतीर्थयात्रार्थी यः प्रयाति नरः क्वचित् बलीवर्दसमारूढः शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम्
Hear also the result for one who, desiring the pilgrimage to Prayaga, goes there mounted on a bull.
नरके वसते घोरे गवां क्रोष्टा हि दारुणे सलिलं न च गृह्णन्ति पितरस्तस्य देहिनः
He dwells in a dreadful hell, in a harsh region of cows' cries; his ancestors do not accept water from that embodied one.
यस्तु पुत्रांस्तथा बालान् स्नापयेत् पाययेत्तथा यथात्मना तथा सर्वं दानं विप्रेषु दापयेत्
But he who bathes his sons and young children, and gives them water to drink, and gives all gifts to Brahmins as he would for himself—
ऐश्वर्यलोभमोहाद्वा गच्छेद्यानेन यो नरः निष्फलं तस्य तत्सर्वं तस्माद्यानं विवर्जयेत्
If a man goes by vehicle out of greed for wealth or out of delusion, all that becomes fruitless for him; therefore, one should avoid going by vehicle.
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये यस्तु कन्यां प्रयच्छति आर्षेणैव विवाहेन यथाविभवसम्भवम्
He who gives a maiden in marriage between the Ganga and Yamuna, with the Vedic rite, according to his means—
न स पश्यति तं घोरं नरकं तेन कर्मणा उत्तरान्स कुरून्गत्वा मोदते कालमक्षयम् पुत्रान्दारांश्च लभते धार्मिकान्रूपसंयुतान्
He does not see that terrible hell by that act; having gone to the northern Kurus, he enjoys endless time, and obtains sons and wives who are righteous and endowed with beauty.
तत्र दानं प्रकर्तव्यं यथाविभवसम्भवम् तेन तीर्थफलं चैव वर्धते नात्र संशयः स्वर्गे तिष्ठति राजेन्द्र यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
There, one should make gifts according to his means; by that, the fruit of the pilgrimage surely increases—there is no doubt of this. O king, he dwells in heaven until the dissolution of creation.
वटमूलं समासाद्य यस्तु प्राणान्विमुञ्चति सर्वलोकानतिक्रम्य रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति
He who, reaching the root of a banyan tree, gives up his life, surpasses all worlds and goes to the realm of Rudra.
तत्र ते द्वादशादित्यास् तपन्ति रुद्रसंश्रिताः निर्दहन्ति जगत्सर्वं वटमूलं न दह्यते
There, the twelve suns, resorting to Rudra, burn; they scorch the whole world, but the root of the banyan is not burned.
नष्टचन्द्रार्कभुवनं यदा चैकार्णवं जगत् स्थीयते तत्र वै विष्णुर् यजमानः पुनः पुनः
When the worlds of the moon and sun are destroyed, and the universe remains as a single ocean, there indeed Vishnu, the sacrificer, abides again and again.
देवदानवगन्धर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः सदा सेवन्ति तत्तीर्थं गङ्गायमुनसंगमम्
The gods, the Dānavas, the Gandharvas, the seers, the Siddhas, and the Cāraṇas always serve that sacred place, the confluence of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā.
ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र प्रयागं संस्तुवंश्च यत् यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः
From there, O king of kings, one should go to Prayāga, praising it, where Brahmā and the other gods, seers, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas are present.
लोकपालाश्च साध्याश्च पितरो लोकसंमताः सनत्कुमारप्रमुखास् तथैव परमर्षयः
The guardians of the worlds, the Sādhyas, the ancestors esteemed in the worlds, Sanatkumāra and the foremost sages are likewise there.
अङ्गिरःप्रमुखाश्चैव तथा ब्रह्मर्षयः परे तथा नागाः सुपर्णाश्च सिद्धाश्च खेचराश्च ये
Also present are the great sages led by Aṅgiras, the supreme Brahmarṣis, as well as the Nāgas, Suparṇas, Siddhas, and all those who move in the sky.
सागराः सरितः शैला नागा विद्याधराश्च ये हरिश्च भगवनास्ते प्रजापतिपुरःसरः
The oceans, rivers, mountains, Nāgas, Vidyādharas, and the blessed Hari himself, accompanied by the lords of creatures, are there.
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये पृथिव्या जघनं स्मृतम् प्रयागं राजशार्दूल त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् ततः पुण्यतमं नास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत
Between the Gaṅgā and Yamunā is considered the womb of the earth; Prayāga, O tiger among kings, is renowned in the three worlds. There is nothing more holy than this in the three worlds, O Bhārata.
श्रवणात्तस्य तीर्थस्य नामसंकीर्तनादपि मृत्तिकालम्भनाद्वापि नरः पापात्प्रमुच्यते
By merely hearing of that sacred place, by uttering its name, or by taking up its earth, a person is freed from sin.
तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात् संगमे शंसितव्रतः तुल्यं फलमवाप्नोति राजसूयाश्वमेधयोः
Whoever, steadfast in their vows, performs ablution at that confluence attains a reward equal to that of the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices.
न देववचनात्तात न लोकवचनात्तथा मतिर् उत्क्रमणीया ते प्रयागगमनं प्रति
Let not your resolve to go to Prayāga be shaken, O dear one, by the words of gods or men.
दश तीर्थसहस्राणि षष्टिकोट्यस्तथा पराः तेषां सांनिध्यमत्रैव ततस्तु कुरुनन्दन
Ten thousand sacred places and sixty crores more have their presence here, O descendant of Kuru.
या गतिर् योगयुक्तस्य सत्यस्थस्य मनीषिणः सा गतिस्त्यजतः प्राणान् गङ्गायमुनसंगमे
The destination attained by a wise man united with yoga and established in truth is also reached by one who gives up the breath at the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā.
न ते जीवन्ति लोके ऽस्मिंस् तत्र तत्र युधिष्ठिर ये प्रयागं न सम्प्राप्तास् त्रिषु लोकेषु वञ्चिताः
Those who have not reached Prayāga, O Yudhiṣṭhira, do not truly live in this world; they are deceived in all three worlds.
एवं दृष्ट्वा तु तत्तीर्थं प्रयागं परमं पदम् मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः शशाङ्क इव राहुणा
Thus, seeing that sacred place, Prayāga, the supreme abode, one is freed from all sins, just as the moon is freed from Rāhu.
कम्बलाश्वतरौ नागौ विपुले यमुनातटे तत्र स्नात्वा च पीत्वा च सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
There, on the broad bank of the Yamunā, are the Nāgas Kambala and Aśvatara; by bathing and drinking there, one is freed from all sins.