यथाविक्लवमापन्नो रोदमानः सुदुःखितः । अचिरेणैव कालेन मार्कंडस्तु महातपाः
Seeing him plunged in despair, weeping and deeply distressed, in a short time, Mārkaṇḍeya, the great ascetic,
हस्तिनापुर संप्राप्तो राजद्वारे स तिष्ठति । द्वारपालोऽपि तं दृष्ट्वा राज्ञः कथितवान्द्रुतम्
Arrived at Hastināpura and stood at the royal gate; the gatekeeper, seeing him, quickly informed the king.
त्वां द्रष्टुकामो मार्कंडो द्वारे तिष्ठत्यसौ मुनिः । त्वरितो धर्मपुत्रस्तु द्वारमेत्याह तत्परः
Mārkaṇḍeya, wishing to see you, stands at the gate, O sage; the son of Dharma, eager, went swiftly to the gate and spoke with devotion.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- स्वागतं ते महाप्राज्ञ स्वागतं ते महामुने । अद्य मे सफलं जन्म अद्य मे पावितं कुलम्
Yudhiṣṭhira said: Welcome to you, O wise one, welcome to you, O great sage! Today my birth is fruitful, today my lineage is purified.
अद्य मे पितरस्तृप्तास्त्वयि दृष्टे महामुने । सिंहासन उपस्थाप्य पादशौचार्चनादिभिः
Today my ancestors are satisfied, O great sage, upon seeing you; having offered you a seat of honor, with the customary washing of feet and other rites.
युधिष्ठिरो महात्मा वै पूजयामास तं मुनिम् । ततस्तमूचे मार्कण्डः पूजितोऽहं त्वया विभो
The noble Yudhishthira worshipped that sage; then Markandeya said to him, 'O lord, I have been duly honored by you.'
आख्याहि त्वरितो राजन्किमर्थं त्वरितं त्वया । केन वा विक्लवीभूतः कथयस्व ममाग्रतः
Tell me quickly, O king, for what reason you are in such haste; and by what cause you are troubled—speak before me.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- अस्माकं चैव यद्वृत्तं राज्यस्यार्थे महामुने । एतत्सर्वं विदित्वा तु भगवानिह चागतः
Yudhishthira said: O great sage, you know all that has happened to us for the sake of the kingdom; knowing all this, you have come here, O venerable one.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्महाबाहो यत्र धर्मो व्यवस्थितः । नैव दृष्टं रणे पापं युध्यमानस्य धीमतः
Markandeya said: Hear, O king of mighty arms, where righteousness is established, no sin is seen in battle for one who fights with wisdom.
किं पुना राजधर्मेण क्षत्रियस्य विशेषतः । तदेवं हृदये कृत्वा तस्मात्पापं न चिंतयेत्
How much more so for a Kshatriya, especially in the duty of kingship; having set this firmly in your heart, you should not think of sin.
ततो युधिष्ठिरो राजा प्रणम्य शिरसा मुनिम् । पृच्छामि त्वां मुनिश्रेष्ठ सदा त्रैकाल्यदर्शनम् । कथयस्व समासेन मुच्येऽहं येन किल्बिषात्
Then King Yudhishthira, bowing his head to the sage, said: I ask you, best of sages, who sees the three times—tell me briefly by what means I may be freed from sin.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्महाभाग यन्मां पृच्छसि भारत । एवं सांख्यं च योगं च तीर्थं चैव युधिष्ठिर
Markandeya said: Hear, O fortunate king, what you ask of me, O descendant of Bharata; thus are Sankhya, Yoga, and pilgrimage, O Yudhishthira.
किं पुनर्ब्राह्मणैः पुण्यैः कीर्तितं वै पुरा विभो । प्रयागगमनं श्रेष्ठं नराणां पुण्यकर्मणाम्
But among the meritorious acts praised by the Brahmins of old, the journey to Prayaga is supreme for men who perform virtuous deeds.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- भगवञ्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि पुराकल्पे यथास्थितम् । कथं प्रयागगमनं नराणां तत्र कीदृशम्
Yudhishthira said: O lord, I wish to hear how it was in former times—how is the journey to Prayaga for men, and what is it like there?
मृतानां का गतिस्तत्र स्नातानां चैव किं फलम् । ये वसंति प्रयागे तु ब्रूहि तेषां च किं फलम् । एतन्मे सर्वमाख्याहि परं कौतूहलं हि मे
What is the fate of those who die there, and what is the fruit for those who bathe? Tell me also the result for those who dwell in Prayaga; tell me all this, for I am greatly curious.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- कथयिष्यामि ते वत्स नाथेष्टं यच्च यत्फलम् । पुरा ऋषीणां विप्राणां कथ्यमानं मया श्रुतम्
Markandeya said: I shall tell you, dear one, what is desired and what fruit is gained; formerly I heard it related by the seers and Brahmins.
आप्रयागात्प्रतिष्ठानाद्धर्मकी वासुकी ह्रदात् । कंबलाश्वतरौ नागौ नागाश्च बहुमूलिकाः
From Prayaga to Pratishthana, from Dharmaki to the lake of Vasuki, the serpents Kambala and Ashvatara, and many other great serpents reside.
एतत्प्रजापतिक्षेत्रं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । अत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः
This is the field of Prajapati, renowned in the three worlds; those who bathe here ascend to heaven, and those who die here do not return to birth.
तत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा रक्षां कुर्वंति संगताः । अन्ये च बहवस्तीर्थाः सर्वपापप्रणाशनाः
There, Brahma and the other gods, assembled, provide protection; and there are many other sacred places that destroy all sins.
न शक्याः कथितुं राजन्बहुवर्षशतैरपि । संक्षेपेण प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रयागस्य च कीर्त्तनम्
They cannot be described, O king, even in hundreds of years; but I will briefly recount the glory of Prayaga.
षष्टिर्धनुः सहस्राणि परिरक्षंति जाह्नवीम् । यमुनां रक्षति सदा सविता सप्तवाहनः
Sixty thousand bow-lengths protect the Ganga, and Savita, the sun with seven steeds, always guards the Yamuna.
प्रयागं तु विशेषेण स्वयं रक्षति वासवः । मंडलं रक्षति हरिर्देवैः सह सुसंमतम्
Especially, Indra himself protects Prayaga, and Hari, with the gods, guards the sacred region, highly esteemed.
तं वटं रक्षते नित्यं शूलपाणिर्महेश्वरः । स्थानं रक्षति वै देवः सर्वपापहरं शुभम्
The Lord Maheshvara, wielder of the trident, always protects that banyan tree; the god protects that place, which is auspicious and removes all sins.
अधर्मेण वृतो लोके नैव गच्छति तत्पदम् । स्वल्पमल्पतरं पापं यदा तस्य नराधिप
One who is enveloped in unrighteousness in this world does not attain that state; even the smallest sin, O king, prevents him.
प्रयागस्मरमाणस्य सर्वमायाति संक्षयम् । दर्शनात्तस्य तीर्थस्य नामसंकीर्तनादपि
For one who remembers Prayaga, all his sins are destroyed; even by seeing that holy place or by merely reciting its name.
मृत्तिका लभनाद्वापि नरः पापाद्विमुच्यते । पंचकुंडानि राजेंद्र येषां मध्ये तु जाह्नवी
By obtaining even a little of its sacred earth, a person is freed from sin; O king, among the five sacred pools, the Ganga flows in the midst.
प्रयागे तु प्रविष्टस्य पापं क्षरति तत्क्षणात् । योजनानां सहस्रेषु गंगां स्मरति यो नरः
For one who enters Prayaga, his sins are washed away at that very moment; and even from a thousand yojanas away, whoever remembers the Ganga—
अपि दुष्कृतकर्मासौ लभते परमां गतिम् । कीर्तनान्मुच्यते पापैर्दृष्ट्वा भद्राणि पश्यति
Even if he has performed evil deeds, he attains the highest state; by reciting her name, he is freed from sins, and by seeing her, he beholds auspicious things.
अवगाह्य च पीत्वा च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । सत्यवादी जितक्रोधो अहिंसां परमास्थितः
By bathing in her and drinking her waters, he purifies up to the seventh generation of his family; one who speaks truth, has conquered anger, and is firmly established in nonviolence—
धर्मानुसारी तत्त्वज्ञो गोब्राह्मणहिते रतः । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये स्नातो मुच्येत किल्बिषात्
Who follows righteousness, knows the truth, and is devoted to the welfare of cows and Brahmins—if he bathes between the Ganga and Yamuna, he is freed from sin.