एवं ज्ञानं च योगश्च तीर्थं चैव युधिष्ठिर बहुक्लेशेन युज्यन्ते तेन यान्ति परां गतिम् त्रिकालं जायते ज्ञानं स्वर्गलोकं गमिष्यति
In this way, knowledge, yoga, and pilgrimage, O Yudhishthira, are attained through great effort; by these, one reaches the supreme state. Knowledge arises in all three times, and one attains the world of heaven.
कथं सर्वमिदं प्रोक्तं प्रयागस्य महामुने एतन्नः सर्वमाख्याहि यथा हि मम तारयेत्
How has all this been described about Prayaga, O great sage? Tell us everything, so that it may deliver me as well.
शृणु राजन्प्रयागे तु प्रोक्तं सर्वमिदं जगत् ब्रह्मा विष्णुस्तथेशानो देवताः प्रभुरव्ययः
Hear, O King, all that has been declared about Prayaga: Brahma, Vishnu, and Ishana, the gods, and the imperishable Lord—all are present there.
ब्रह्मा सृजति भूतानि स्थावरं जङ्गमं च यत् तान्येतानि परं लोके विष्णुः संवर्धते प्रजाः
Brahma creates all beings, both immobile and mobile; these, in the supreme world, Vishnu sustains, and the creatures flourish.
कल्पान्ते तत्समग्रं हि रुद्रः संहरते जगत् तदा प्रयागतीर्थं च न कदाचिद्विनश्यति
At the end of the aeon, Rudra withdraws the entire universe; yet the holy place of Prayaga never perishes.
ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां यः पश्यति स पश्यति यत्नेनानेन तिष्ठन्ति ते यान्ति परमां गतिम्
He who sees the Lord of all beings, truly sees; by striving in this way, they remain and attain the highest state.
आख्याहि मे यथातथ्यं यथैषा तिष्ठति श्रुतिः केन वा कारणेनैव तिष्ठन्ते लोकसत्तमाः
Tell me truly how this tradition remains, and for what reason the foremost beings of the worlds abide here.
प्रयागे निवसन्त्येते ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः कारणं तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु तत्त्वं युधिष्ठिर
In Prayaga dwell Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara; I will tell you the reason for this—listen to the truth, O Yudhishthira.
पञ्चयोजनविस्तीर्णं प्रयागस्य तु मण्डलम् तिष्ठन्ति रक्षणायात्र पापकर्मनिवारणात्
The region of Prayaga extends five yojanas; they remain here for protection and to ward off evil deeds.
उत्तरेण प्रतिष्ठानाच् छद्मना ब्रह्म तिष्ठति वेणीमाधवरूपी तु भगवांस्तत्र तिष्ठति
To the north of Pratishthana, Brahma abides in disguise; the Blessed Lord, in the form of Veni Madhava, stands there.
माहेश्वरो वटो भूत्वा तिष्ठते परमेश्वरः ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः रक्षन्ति मण्डलं नित्यं पापकर्मनिवारणात्
The Supreme Lord, having become a great banyan tree, stands there as Maheshvara; then the gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and great sages always protect the region, to prevent evil deeds.
यस्मिञ्जुह्वन्स्वकं पापं नरकं च न पश्यति एवं ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च प्रयागे स महेश्वरः
He who offers oblations there does not see his own sin or hell; thus, Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara are present at Prayaga.
सप्तद्वीपाः समुद्राश्च पर्वताश्च महीतले रक्षमाणाश्च तिष्ठन्ति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
The seven continents, the oceans, and the mountains on earth remain protected here until the cosmic dissolution.
ये चान्ये बहवः सर्वे तिष्ठन्ति च युधिष्ठिर यत् पृथिवी तत्समाश्रित्य निर्मिता दैवतैस् त्रिभिः
And all the many others, O Yudhishthira, who dwell here—whatever is on earth is established here, created by the three deities.
प्रजापतेरिदं क्षेत्रं प्रयागमिति विश्रुतम् एतत्पुण्यं पवित्रं वै प्रयागं च युधिष्ठिर स्वराज्यं कुरु राजेन्द्र भ्रातृभिः सहितो ऽनघ
This field of Prajapati is renowned as Prayaga; this sacred and pure Prayaga, O Yudhishthira, rule as your own kingdom, O king, together with your brothers, O sinless one.
भ्रातृभिः सहितः सर्वैर् द्रौपद्या सह भार्यया ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्य गुरून्देवानतर्पयत्
Together with all his brothers and his wife Draupadi, having bowed to the Brahmanas, he satisfied his teachers and the gods.
वासुदेवो ऽपि तत्रैव क्षणेनाभ्यागतस्तदा पाण्डवैः सहितैः सर्वैः पूज्यमानस्तु माधवः
Vasudeva also arrived there at that moment; Madhava was worshipped by all the Pandavas together.
कृष्णेन सहितैः सर्वैः पुनरेव महात्मभिः अभिषिक्तः स्वराज्ये च धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
With Krishna and all the great souls, Yudhishthira, son of Dharma, was again anointed in sovereign rule.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे चैव मार्कण्डेयो महामुनिः ततः स्वस्तीति चोक्त्वा तु क्षणादाश्रममागमत्
Meanwhile, the great sage Markandeya, having said 'farewell,' soon returned to his hermitage.
युधिष्ठिरो ऽपि धर्मात्मा भ्रातृभिः सहितो ऽवसत् महादानं ततो दत्त्वा धर्मपुत्रो महामनाः
Yudhishthira, righteous in soul, remained there with his brothers; after giving a great charity, the noble-minded son of Dharma stayed on.
यस्त्विदं कल्य उत्थाय माहात्म्यं पठते नरः प्रयागं स्मरते नित्यं स याति परमं पदम् मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever, rising early, reads this glory and remembers Prayaga every day, attains the highest state, is freed from all sins, and goes to the world of Rudra.
मम वाक्यं च कर्तव्यं महाराज ब्रवीम्यहम् नित्यं जपस्व जुह्वस्व प्रयागे विगतज्वरः
My words must be followed, O great king, I tell you: always recite and offer oblations at Prayaga, free from affliction.
प्रयागं स्मर वै नित्यं सहास्माभिर्युधिष्ठिर स्वयं प्राप्स्यसि राजेन्द्र स्वर्गलोकं न संशयः
Remember Prayaga always with us, O Yudhishthira; you yourself, O king of kings, will surely attain the heavenly world—there is no doubt.
प्रयागमनुगच्छेद्वा वसते वापि यो नरः सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever goes to Prayaga or dwells there, that person, purified from all sins, attains the world of Rudra.
प्रतिग्रहादुपावृत्तः संतुष्टो नियतः शुचिः अहंकारनिवृत्तश्च स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
He who refrains from accepting gifts, is content, self-controlled, pure, and free from pride, attains the fruit of pilgrimage.
अकोपनश्च सत्यश्च सत्यवादी दृढव्रतः आत्मोपमश्च भूतेषु स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
He who is not prone to anger, is truthful, speaks truth, firm in his vows, and regards all beings as himself, attains the fruit of pilgrimage.
ऋषिभिः क्रतवः प्रोक्ता देवैश्चापि यथाक्रमम् न हि शक्या दरिद्रेण यज्ञाः प्राप्तुं महीपते
Sacrifices have been prescribed by the seers and also by the gods in due order, but, O king, the poor are not able to perform sacrifices.
बहूपकरणा यज्ञा नानासम्भारविस्तराः प्राप्यन्ते पार्थिवैरेतैः समृद्धैर्वै नरैः क्वचित्
Sacrifices require many implements and a great variety of materials; only wealthy men can sometimes accomplish them.
यो दरिद्रैरपि विधिः शक्यः प्राप्तुं नरेश्वर तुल्यो यज्ञफलैः पुण्यैस् तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर
But, O lord of men, there is a rite that even the poor can perform; know, O Yudhishthira, that it yields merit equal to the fruits of sacrifice.
ऋषीणां परमं गुह्यम् इदं भरतसत्तम तीर्थानुगमनं पुण्यं यज्ञेभ्यो ऽपि विशिष्यते
This is the supreme secret of the seers, O best of the Bharatas: the meritorious act of pilgrimage to holy places surpasses even sacrifices.