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.
यद्यकार्यशतं कृत्वा कृतं गंगावसेवनम् । सर्वं तत्तस्य गंगापो दहत्यग्निरिवेंधनम्
Even after committing a hundred wrongful acts, service to the Ganga burns them all, as fire consumes fuel.
सर्वं दहति गंगापस्तूलराशिमिवानलः । सर्वं कृतयुगे पुण्यं त्रेतायां पुष्करं स्मृतम्
The waters of the Ganga burn everything, like fire burns a heap; all merit in the Krita age, and in Treta, Pushkara is remembered.
द्वापरे तु कुरुक्षेत्रं गंगा कलियुगे स्मृता । पुष्करे तु तपस्तप्येद्दानं दद्यान्महालये
In the Dvapara age, Kurukshetra was renowned, and in the Kali age, the Ganga is remembered; one should perform austerity at Pushkara and give gifts at Mahalaya.
मलये त्वग्निमारोहेद्भृगुतुंगे त्वनाशनम् । पुष्करे तु कुरुक्षेत्रे गंगापो मध्यगेषु च
In Malaya, one should ascend the fire; at Bhrigutunga, one should fast; at Pushkara, at Kurukshetra, and in the middle of the Ganga's waters.
सद्यस्तारयते जंतुः सप्तसप्तावरांस्तथा । पुनाति कीर्त्तिता पापं दृष्ट्वा पुण्यं प्रयच्छति
A creature is instantly delivered, along with seven generations, and when praised, it destroys sin and bestows merit upon being seen.
अवगाढा च पीत्वा च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । यावदस्थि मनुष्यस्य गंगायाः स्पृशते जलम्
By bathing in or drinking it, one purifies up to the seventh generation; as long as a person's bones touch the water of the Ganga.
तावत्स पुरुषो राजन्स्वर्गलोके महीयते । यथा पुण्यानि तीर्थानि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च
For that long, O King, a person is honored in the heavenly world; just as holy are the sacred fords and holy shrines.
उपास्य पुण्यं लब्ध्वा च भवति परलोकभाक् । न गंगा सदृशं तीर्थं न देवः केशवात्परः
Having worshipped and obtained merit, one attains the next world; there is no ford like the Ganga, no god greater than Keshava.
ब्राह्मणेभ्यः परं नास्ति एवमाह पितामहः । यत्र गंगा महाराज स देशस्तत्र योजनम्
There is nothing higher than the Brahmins, so says the Grandsire; wherever the Ganga flows, O great king, that land is a league in extent.
सिद्धक्षेत्रं च विज्ञेयं गंगातीरसमाश्रितम् । इदं सत्यं द्विजातीनां साधूनां मानसेषु च
That region along the banks of the Ganga should be known as a field of perfection; this is truth for the twice-born, the virtuous, and those of pure mind.