स्वर्गलोके महीयेत नरो नास्त्यत्र संशयः । ततो गिरिवरश्रेष्ठे चित्रकूटे विशांपते
A man is honored in the heavenly world—there is no doubt of this; then, O lord of men, at the best of mountains, Citrakūṭa—
मंदाकिनीं समासाद्य नदीं पापविमोचनीम् । अत्राभिषेकं कुर्वाणः पितृदेवार्चने रतः
Having reached the Mandākinī river, which frees from sin, and performing ablutions there, devoted to worship of ancestors and gods—
अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति गतिं च परमां व्रजेत् । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र गुहस्थानमनुत्तमम्
He attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and reaches the highest state; then, O king, he should go to the excellent place of Guha.
यत्र देवो महासेनो नित्यं सन्निहितो नृप । पुमांस्तत्र नरःश्रेष्ठ गमनादेव सिध्यति
Where the god Mahāsena is always present, O king, there, O best of men, a person succeeds merely by going.
कोटितीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य यशःस्थानं व्रजेन्नरः
Bathing at Koṭitīrtha, a man obtains the merit of a thousand cows; after circumambulating, he attains a place of fame.
अभिगम्य महादेवं विराजति यथा शशी । तत्र कूपो महाराज विश्रुतो भरतर्षभ
Approaching Mahādeva, who shines like the moon, there is a famous well, O great king, renowned among the Bharatas.
समुद्रा यत्र चत्वारो निवसंति युधिष्ठिर । ततोपस्पृश्य राजेंद्र कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्
There, O Yudhiṣṭhira, the four oceans reside; after touching the water there, O king, and circumambulating—
नियतात्मा नरः पूतो गच्छेत परमां गतिम् । ततो गच्छेत्कुरुश्रेष्ठ शृंगवेरपुरं महत्
A self-controlled man becomes purified and attains the highest state; then, O best of the Kurus, he should go to the great city of Śṛṅgaverapura.
यत्र तीर्णो महाप्राज्ञो रामो दाशरथिः पुरा । गंगायां तु नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः
Where once the wise Rāma, son of Daśaratha, crossed; there, if a man, self-restrained and celibate, bathes in the Gaṅgā—
विधूतपाप्मा भवति वाजपेयं च विंदति । ततो मुंजवटं गछेत्स्थानं देवस्य धीमतः
He becomes free from sin and attains the fruit of the Vājapeya sacrifice; then he should go to Mujjavaṭa, the place of the wise god.
अभिगम्य महादेवमभ्यर्च्य च नराधिप । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्
Approaching and worshipping Mahādeva, O lord of men, and circumambulating, he attains the favor of Gaṇapati.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र प्रयागमृषिसंस्तुतम् । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा दिशश्च सदिगीश्वराः
Then, O king, he should go to Prayāga, praised by the sages, where Brahmā and the other gods, and the guardians of the directions reside.
लोकपालाश्च सिद्धाश्च निरताः पितरस्तथा । सनत्कुमारप्रमुखास्तथैव च महर्षयः
Where the Lokapālas, Siddhas, devoted ancestors, Sanatkumāra and the foremost great sages are also present.
तथा नागाः सुपर्णाश्च सिद्धाः शुक्रधरास्तथा । सरितः सागराश्चैव गंधर्वाप्सरसस्तथा
There too are Nāgas, Suparṇas, Siddhas bearing Śukra, rivers, oceans, Gandharvas, and Apsarases.
हरिश्च भगवानास्ते प्रजापतिपुरस्कृतः । तत्र त्रीण्यपि कुंडानि तयोर्मध्येन जाह्नवी
Hari, the blessed Lord, resides there, accompanied by the progenitors of beings; in that place are three sacred pools, with the Jahnavi flowing between them.
प्रयागात्समतिक्रांता सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता । तपनस्य सुता तत्र त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता
Having crossed Prayaga, honored above all holy places, the daughter of the Sun shines there, renowned in the three worlds.
यमुनागंगया सार्द्धं संगता लोकभाविनी । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये पृथिव्या जघनं स्मृतम्
The world-sustaining river joins with Yamuna and Ganga; between Ganga and Yamuna, the earth's hip is considered.
प्रयागं जघनस्यांतमुपस्थमृषयो विदुः । प्रयागं सुप्रतिष्ठानं कंबलाश्वतरावुभौ
The sages know Prayaga as the end of the hip and the seat; Prayaga is firmly established, along with Kambala and Ashvatara.
तीर्थं भोगवती चैव वेदी प्रोक्ता प्रजापतेः । तत्र वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च मूर्त्तिमंतो युधिष्ठिर
Bhogavati is a holy place, and the altar of Prajapati is proclaimed; there, O Yudhishthira, the Vedas and sacrifices are manifest.
प्रजापतिमुपासंत ऋषयश्च महानघाः । यजंते क्रतुभिर्देवांस्तथा चक्रधरा नृप
The great, sinless sages worship Prajapati there; the gods, as well as those who bear the discus, perform sacrifices, O king.
ततः पुण्यतमं नास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत । प्रयागं सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रभावेणाधिकं प्रभो
Therefore, O Bharata, there is nothing more sacred in the three worlds; Prayaga surpasses all holy places in its power, O Lord.
श्रवणात्तस्य तीर्थस्य नामसंकीर्तनादपि । मूर्धका नमनाद्वापि सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
By hearing the name of that holy place, by reciting its name, or by bowing one's head, one is freed from all sins.
तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्संगमे संशितव्रतः । पुण्यं सुमहदाप्नोति राजसूयाश्वमेधयोः
Whoever, steadfast in vows, performs ablution at the confluence there, attains great merit, equal to that of Rajasuya and Ashvamedha sacrifices.
एषा यजनभूमिर्हि देवानामपि तत्कथा । दत्तं तत्र स्वल्पमपि महद्भवति भारत
This is indeed the place of worship for the gods; even a small gift given there becomes great, O Bharata.
न देववचनात्तात न लोकवचनादपि । मतिरुत्क्रमणीया ते प्रयागमरणं प्रति
O father, neither by the words of gods nor by the words of men should your resolve waver regarding dying at Prayaga.
दशतीर्थसहस्राणि षष्टिकोट्यस्तथापराः । येषां सान्निध्यमत्रैव कीर्त्तितं कुरुनंदन
Ten thousand holy places and sixty crore others are said to be present here, O descendant of Kuru.
चतुर्विद्ये च यत्पुण्यं सत्यवादिषु चैव यत् । स्नातएवतदाप्नोतिगंगायामुनसंगमे
Whatever merit is gained from the four Vedas or from truth-tellers, one attains that by bathing at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna.
ततो भोगवती नाम वासुकेस्तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्सोऽश्वमेधमवाप्नुयात्
Then comes Bhogavati, the supreme holy place of Vasuki; whoever bathes there attains the fruit of the Ashvamedha sacrifice.
तत्र हंसप्रपतनं तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । दशाश्वमेधिकं चैव गंगायां कुरुनंदन
There is the Hamsa-prapatana, a holy place famed in the three worlds; and the ten-Ashvamedha site on the Ganga, O descendant of Kuru.
कुरुक्षेत्रसमा गंगा यत्र तत्रावगाहिता । विशेषो वै कनखले प्रयागं परमं महत्
Where the Ganga equals Kurukshetra and is entered there, the special greatness is at Kanakhala; Prayaga is supremely great.