सुवर्णंमणिमुक्तां वा यदि धान्यं प्रतिग्रहम् । स्वकार्ये पितृकार्ये वा देवताभ्यर्चनेऽपि वा
Whether gold, jewels, pearls, or grain, for his own purpose, for ancestral rites, or for worship of the gods—
निष्फलं तस्य तत्तीर्थं यावत्तत्फलमश्नुते । एवं तीर्थेन गृह्णीयात् पुण्येष्वायतनेषु च
That holy place is fruitful for him as long as he enjoys its reward; thus one should accept gifts at holy sites and sacred temples.
निमित्तेषु च सर्वेषु अप्रमत्तो द्विजो भवेत् । कपिलां पाटलावर्णां प्रयागे यः प्रयच्छति
A twice-born should be vigilant in all occasions; whoever gives a Kapilā cow of reddish color at Prayāga—
स्वर्णशृंगीं रौप्यखुरां चैलकंठीं पयस्विनीम् । प्रयागे श्रोत्रियं साधुं ग्राहयित्वा यथाविधि
A cow with golden horns, silver hooves, a cloth around her neck, and full of milk, given at Prayāga to a virtuous Brahmin according to proper rite—
शुक्लांबरधरं शांतं धर्मज्ञं वेदपारगम् । सा गौस्तस्मै च दातव्या गंगायमुनसंगमे
To one who wears white garments, is peaceful, knows righteousness, and is versed in the Vedas, that cow must be given at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna.
वासांसि च महार्हाणि रत्नानि विविधानि च । यावद्रोमाणि तस्या गोः संति गात्रेषु सत्तम
And also fine garments and various jewels, as many as there are hairs on that cow's body, O noble one.
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । यत्रासौ लभते जन्म सा गौस्तत्राभिजायते
For as many thousands of years in heaven as there are hairs on that cow, he is honored; wherever he is born, that cow is born there too.
न च पश्यत्यसौ घोरं नरकं तेन कर्मणा । उत्तरान्स कुरून्प्राप्य मोदते कालमक्षयम्
And by that deed, he does not see the dreadful hell; reaching the northern Kurus, he enjoys an endless span of time.
गवां शतसहस्रेभ्यो दद्यादेकां पयस्विनीम् । पुत्रान्दारान्तथा भृत्यान्गौरेका प्रतितारयेत्
If one gives a single milking cow, it is as if one has given a hundred thousand cows; such a cow redeems sons, wives, and servants.
तस्मात्सर्वेषु दानेषु गोदानं तु विशिष्यते । दुर्गमे विषमे घोरे महापातकसंभवे । गौरेव रक्षां कुरुते तस्माद्देया द्विजातये
Therefore, among all gifts, the gift of a cow is supreme; in difficult, perilous, and dreadful situations where great sins arise, only the cow provides protection—thus, it should be given to a twice-born.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे द्विचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-second chapter in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- यथा प्रयागस्य मुने माहात्म्यं कथितं त्वया । तथातथा प्रमुच्येऽहं सर्वपापैर्न संशयः
Yudhiṣṭhira said: O sage, just as you have described the greatness of Prayāga, in the same way, I am surely freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.
भगवन्केन विधिना गंतव्यं धर्मनिश्चयैः । प्रयागे यो विधिः प्रोक्तः तन्मे ब्रूहि महामुने
O Lord, by what procedure should one go, with firm resolve in righteousness? Tell me, O great sage, the prescribed method for Prayāga.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- कथयिष्यामि ते वत्स तीर्थयात्राविधिक्रमम् । यो गच्छेतकुरुश्रेष्ठ प्रयागं देवसंयुतम्
Markandeya said: I will tell you, dear one, the proper procedure for pilgrimage; whoever goes, O best of the Kurus, to Prayāga, accompanied by the gods—
बलीवर्दसमारूढः शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम् । वसते नरके घोरे गवां क्रोधे सुदारुणे
Mounted on a bull—listen to the result for him: he dwells in a terrible hell, in the fierce wrath of the cows.
सलिलं च न गृह्णंति पितरस्तस्य देहिनः । यस्तु पुत्रांस्तथा बालान्स्नापयेत्पाययेत्तथा
His ancestors do not accept water from him; but he who bathes and gives water to his sons and young children—
यथात्मनस्तथा सर्वान्दानं विप्रेषु दापयेत् । ऐश्वर्यलोभान्मोहाद्वा गच्छेद्यानेन यो नरः
And gives gifts to all, as to himself, to the Brāhmaṇas; but if a man goes by vehicle out of greed for wealth or out of delusion—
निष्फलं तस्य तत्तीर्थं तस्माद्यानं परित्यजेत् । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये यस्तु कन्यां प्रयच्छति
His pilgrimage to that holy place is fruitless; therefore, one should abandon travel by vehicle. Whoever gives a maiden in marriage between the Gaṅgā and Yamunā—
आर्षेण तु विधानेन यथाविभवसंभवम् । न पश्यति यमं घोरं नरकं तेन कर्मणा
According to the Ṛṣis’ tradition, as is fitting to his means, does not see the dreadful Yama nor hell by that act.
उत्तरान्स कुरून्गत्वा मोदते कालमक्षयम् । पुत्रांस्तु दाराँल्लभते धार्मिकान्नयसंयुतान्
Having gone to the northern Kurus, he enjoys endless time; he obtains sons and wives endowed with righteousness and good conduct.
तत्र दानं प्रदातव्यं यथाविभवसंभवम् । तेन तीर्थफलैनैव वर्द्धते नात्र संशयः
There, one should give gifts according to one’s means; by that, the fruit of the pilgrimage increases—of this there is no doubt.
स्वर्गे तिष्ठति राजेंद्र यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् । वटमूलं समाश्रित्य यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत्
O king, he dwells in heaven until the end of the cosmic dissolution; whoever gives up his life at the foot of a banyan tree—
सर्वलोकानतिक्रम्य रुद्रलोकं च गच्छति । तत्र ते द्वादशादित्यास्तपंते रुद्रमाश्रिताः
Surpassing all worlds, he goes to the realm of Rudra; there, the twelve suns perform austerities, taking refuge in Rudra.
निर्दहंति जगत्सर्वं वटमूलं न दह्यते । नष्टचंद्रार्कपवनं यदा चैकार्णवं जगत्
They burn up all the worlds, but the banyan root is not burned; when the moon, sun, and wind are lost, and the world is one ocean—
स्वपित्यत्रैव वै विष्णुर्जायमानः पुनः पुनः । देवदानवगंधर्व ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः
It is there that Viṣṇu sleeps, being born again and again; the gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Ṛṣis, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas—
सदा सेवंति तत्तीर्थं गंगायमुनसंगमे । तत्र गच्छंति राजेंद्र प्रयागे संयुतं च यत्
Always serve that holy place at the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā; there, O king, they go to Prayāga, accompanied by all.
तत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा दिशश्चैव दिगीश्वराः । लोकपालाश्च साध्याश्च पितरो लोकसंमताः
There, Brahma and the other gods, the directions and their guardians, the protectors of the worlds, the Sadhyas, and the ancestors honored by the world—
सनत्कुमारप्रमुखास्तथैव परमर्षयः । अंगिरप्रमुखाश्चैव तथा ब्रह्मर्षयः परे
With Sanatkumara at their head, the supreme seers, and likewise the Brahmarshis led by Angiras, and other great sages—
तथा नागाश्च सिद्धाश्च सुपर्णाः खेचराश्च ये । सरितः सागराः शैला नागा विद्याधरास्तथा
So too the Nagas, Siddhas, Suparnas, those who move in the sky, rivers, oceans, mountains, Nagas, and Vidyadharas—
हरिश्च भगवानास्ते प्रजापतिपुरस्कृतः । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये पृथिव्या जघनं स्मृतम्
And the blessed Hari himself, preceded by the lords of creatures, the space between the Ganga and Yamuna is regarded as the womb of the earth.