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.
दश तीर्थसहस्राणि तिस्रः कोट्यस्तथापगाः माघमासे गमिष्यन्ति गङ्गायां भरतर्षभ
Ten thousand holy places and thirty million sacred rivers go to the Ganga in the month of Magha, O bull among the Bharatas.
स्वस्थो भव महाराज भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यमकण्टकम् पुनर्द्रक्ष्यसि राजेन्द्र यजमानो विशेषतः
Be at ease, O great king, and enjoy your kingdom without hindrance; you will see again, O king of kings, the sacrificer in particular.
इत्युक्त्वा स महाभागो मार्कण्डेयो महातपाः युधिष्ठिरस्य नृपतेस् तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Having spoken thus, the illustrious and great ascetic Markandeya vanished there before King Yudhishthira.
ततस्तत्र समाप्लाव्य गात्राणि सगणो नृपः यथोक्तेनाथ विधिना परां निर्वृतिमागमत्
Then, together with his companions, the king bathed his limbs there, and, following the prescribed rite, attained supreme contentment.
तथा त्वमपि देवर्षे प्रयागाभिमुखो भव अभिषेकं तु कृत्वाद्य कृतकृत्यो भविष्यसि
So you too, O divine sage, set out for Prayaga; after performing the ablution today, you will have accomplished your purpose.
एवमुक्त्वाथ नन्दीशस् तत्रैवान्तरधीयत नारदो ऽपि जगामाशु प्रयागाभिमुखस्तथा
Having spoken thus, Nandisha vanished there; and Narada too quickly set out towards Prayaga.
तत्र स्नात्वा च जप्त्वा च विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा दानं दत्त्वा द्विजाग्र्येभ्यो गतः स्वभवनं तदा
There, having bathed and recited mantras, performing the prescribed rites, and giving gifts to the foremost twice-born, he then returned to his own house.
कति द्वीपाः समुद्रा वा पर्वता वा कति प्रभो कियन्ति चैव वर्षाणि तेषु नद्यश्च काः स्मृताः
O Lord, how many continents and oceans are there, and how many mountains? How many regions are there, and which rivers are remembered within them?
महाभूमिप्रमाणं च लोकालोकस्तथैव च पर्याप्तिं परिमाणं च गतिश्चन्द्रार्कयोस्तथा
What is the measure of the great earth, and likewise of Lokāloka? Tell also the extent, the dimensions, and the courses of the moon and the sun.
एतद्ब्रवीहि नः सर्वं विस्तरेण यथार्थवित् त्वदुक्तमेतत्सकलं श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम्
Tell us all this in detail, as you know the truth; we wish to hear everything you say.