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.
मनसा चिंतितान्कामान्सम्यक्प्राप्नोति पुष्कलान् । ततो गत्त्वा प्रयागं तु सर्वदेवाभिरक्षितम्
He attains all the desires he contemplates in his mind, in abundance; therefore, having gone to Prayaga, which is protected by all the gods—
ब्रह्मचारी वसेन्मासं पितृदेवांश्च तर्पयेत् । ईप्सिताँल्लभते कामान्यत्र तत्राभिजायते
A celibate should dwell there for a month and offer oblations to the ancestors and gods; he attains the desired objects and is born there again.
तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । समागता महाभागा यमुना यत्र निम्नगाः
The goddess Yamuna, daughter of the Sun, renowned in the three worlds, has come together there, O blessed one, where the rivers descend.
तत्र सन्निहितो नित्यं साक्षाद्देवो महेश्वरः । दुष्प्रापं मानुषैः पुण्यं प्रयागं तु युधिष्ठिर
There, Lord Maheshvara is always present in person; O Yudhishthira, Prayaga is a holy place difficult for humans to attain.
देवदानवगंधर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । तत्रोपस्पृश्य राजेंद्र स्वर्गलोके महीयते
Gods, demons, Gandharvas, sages, Siddhas, and Charanas—having bathed there, O king, are honored in the heavenly world.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे एकचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-first chapter in the Svarga-khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं पुनरेव तु । यं गत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Markandeya said: Hear again, O king, the greatness of Prayaga, by going to which one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.
आर्तानां च दरिद्राणां निश्चितव्यवसायिनाम् । स्थानं मुक्त्वा प्रयागं तु नाक्षयं तु कदाचन
For the distressed, the poor, and those with firm resolve, there is no imperishable place except Prayaga.
गंगायमुनमासाद्य यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत् । दीप्तकांचनवर्णाभे विमाने सूर्यवर्चसि
Whoever, having reached the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, gives up his life there, enjoys in heaven among shining aerial cars, radiant as the sun and gold.
गंधर्वाप्सरसां मध्ये स्वर्गे मोदति मानवः । ईप्सिताँल्लभतेकामान्वदंति ऋषिपुंगवाः
In the midst of Gandharvas and Apsaras, the man rejoices in heaven; he attains the desired objects, so declare the foremost of sages.
सर्वरत्नमयैर्दिव्यैर्नानाध्वजसमाकुलैः । वरांगना समाकीर्णैर्मोदते शुभलक्षणैः
He delights, surrounded by divine jewels of every kind, adorned with many banners, and attended by beautiful women bearing auspicious marks.
गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषैः प्रसुप्तः प्रतिबुध्यते । यावन्न स्मरते जन्म तावत्स्वर्गे महीयते
He awakens to the sounds of singing and musical instruments, and is honored in heaven until he forgets his earthly birth.
तत्र स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टः क्षीणकर्म्मा दिवश्च्युतः । हिरण्यरत्नसंपूर्णे समृद्धे जायते कुले
When his merit is exhausted and he falls from heaven, he is born into a prosperous family filled with gold and jewels.
तदेव स्मरते तीर्थं स्मरणात्तत्र गच्छति । देशस्थो यदि वारण्ये विदेशे यदि वा गृहे
He remembers that holy place, and by recalling it, he reaches it, whether he is in his own land, in the forest, abroad, or at home.
प्रयागं स्मरमात्रोपि यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत् । स ब्रह्मलोकमाप्नोति वदंति ऋषिपुंगवाः
Even one who merely remembers Prayāga at the moment of death attains the world of Brahma, so declare the foremost sages.
सर्वकामफलावृत्ता मही यत्र हिरण्मयी । ऋषयो मुनयः सिद्धा यत्र लोके प्रगच्छति
The earth there is golden and yields all desired fruits; sages, ascetics, and perfected beings go to that world.
स्त्रीसहस्रा कुले रम्ये मंदाकिन्यास्तटे शुभे । मोदते ऋषिभिः सार्द्धं स्वकृतेनेह कर्मणा
In a delightful family, on the beautiful bank of the Mandākinī, he enjoys with thousands of women and with sages, by the merit of his own deeds.
सिद्धचारणगन्धर्वैः पूज्यते दिवि दैवतैः । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जंबुद्वीपपतिर्भवेत्
He is honored in heaven by Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Gandharvas, and the gods; then, falling from heaven, he becomes lord of Jambudvīpa.
ततः शुभानि कर्माणि चिंतयानः पुनः पुनः । गुणवान्वित्तसंपन्नो भवतीह न संशयः
Thinking again and again of virtuous deeds, he becomes endowed with qualities and wealth in this world, without doubt.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा सत्यधर्मप्रतिष्ठितः । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये यस्तु दानं प्रयच्छति
Established in truth and righteousness by deed, mind, and speech, whoever gives charity between the Ganges and Yamuna—