कुरुक्षेत्राद्दशगुणा यत्र सिंध्वा समागता । यत्र गंगा महाभागा बहुतीर्थतपोधना
Where the Sindhu joins, it is ten times greater than Kurukṣetra; where the blessed Gaṅgā, rich in many holy places and austerities, is found—
सिद्धक्षेत्रं हि तज्ज्ञेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा । क्षितौ तारयते मर्त्यान्नागांस्तारयतेऽप्यधः
That should be known as a field of perfection; there is no need for doubt here. It delivers mortals on earth and even delivers the nāgas below.
दिवि तारयते देवांस्तेन सा त्रिपथा स्मृता । यावदस्थीनि गंगायां तिष्ठंति तस्य देहिनः
In heaven, she delivers the gods; thus she is called the triple path. As long as the bones of that embodied one remain in the Ganga,
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । तीर्थानां तु परं तीर्थं नदीनामुत्तमा नदी
for so many thousands of years he is honored in the world of heaven. Of all sacred places, she is the supreme; among rivers, the best river.
मोक्षदा सर्वभूतानां महापातकिनामपि । सर्वत्र सुलभा गंगा त्रिषु स्थानेषु दुर्लभा
She grants liberation to all beings, even to the greatest sinners. Everywhere, the Ganga is easily found, but in three places she is rare.
गंगाद्वारे प्रयागे च गंगासागरसंगमे । तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः
At the gateway of the Ganga, at Prayaga, and at the confluence of Ganga and the ocean—those who bathe there ascend to heaven; those who die there do not return to birth.
सर्वेषां चैव भूतानां पापोपहतचेतसाम् । गतिमन्वेषमाणानां नास्ति गंगासमा गतिः
For all beings whose minds are afflicted by sin, seeking a path, there is no way equal to the Ganga.
पवित्राणां पवित्रं या मंगलानां च मंगलम् । महेश्वरशिरोभ्रष्टा सर्वपापहरा शुभा
She is the purity of the pure, the auspiciousness of the auspicious; fallen from the head of Maheshvara, she is auspicious and removes all sin.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं पुनरेव तु । यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Markandeya said: Hear again, O king, the greatness of Prayaga. By hearing this, one is freed from all sins; there is no doubt.
मानसं नाम तत्तीर्थं गंगायामुत्तरे तटे । त्रिरात्रोपोषितो भूत्वा सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्
There is a sacred place called Manasa on the northern bank of the Ganga. Having fasted for three nights, one attains all desires.
गोभूहिरण्यदानेन यत्फलं प्राप्नुयान्नरः । एतत्फलमवाप्नोति तत्तीर्थं स्मरते पुनः
Whatever fruit a man obtains by giving cows, land, or gold, he attains that fruit again by remembering that sacred place.
अकामो वा सकामो वा गंगायां यो विपद्यते । मृतस्तु भवति स्वर्गे नरकं न च पश्यति
Whether desiring or without desire, whoever dies in the Ganga, upon death, attains heaven and does not see hell.
अप्सरोगणसंगीतैः सुप्तोऽसौ प्रतिबुध्यते । हंससारसयुक्तेन विमानेन स गच्छति
Awakened by the songs of groups of apsaras, he departs in a chariot adorned with swans and cranes.
बहुवर्षाणि राजेन्द्र षट्सहस्राणि भुंजते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टः क्षीणकर्मा दिवश्च्युतः
For many years, O king, for six thousand years, he enjoys pleasures. Then, fallen from heaven, his merit exhausted, he departs from heaven.
सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताढ्ये जायते स महाकुले । षष्टितीर्थसहस्राणि षष्टितीर्थशतानि च
He is born in a great family, rich in gold, jewels, and pearls. Sixty thousand sacred places and sixty hundred sacred places
माघेमासि गमिष्यंति गंगायमुनसंगमे । गवां शतसहस्रस्य सम्यग्दत्तस्य यत्फलम्
will go in the month of Magha to the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna. The fruit of properly giving a hundred thousand cows,
प्रयागे माघमासे तु त्र्यहंस्नानस्य तत्फलम् । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये पंचाग्निं यस्तु साधयेत्
at Prayaga, in the month of Magha, is the fruit of bathing for three days. Between the Ganga and Yamuna, whoever accomplishes the five fires,
अहीनांगो ह्यरोगश्च पंचेन्द्रियसमन्वितः । यावंति रोमकूपाणि तस्य गात्रस्य देहिनः
he is without defect, free from disease, endowed with five senses; as many hair pores as are on his body,
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जंबूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत्
for so many thousands of years he is honored in the world of heaven. Then, fallen from heaven, he becomes lord of Jambudvipa.
स भुक्त्वा विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं भजते नरः । जलप्रवेशं यः कुर्यात्संगमे लोकविश्रुते
Having enjoyed great pleasures, that man worships the sacred place. Whoever enters the water at the renowned confluence,
राहुग्रस्तो यथा सोमो विमुक्तः सर्वपातकैः । सोमलोकमवाप्नोति सोमेन सह मोदते
Just as the moon, seized by Rahu, is freed from all faults, so he attains the world of Soma and rejoices there together with Soma.
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि षष्टिवर्षशतानि च । स्वर्गलोकमवाप्नोति ऋषिगंधर्वसेवितः
For sixty thousand years and sixty hundred years, he attains the heavenly world, served by sages and Gandharvas.
परिभ्रष्टस्तु राजेंद्र समृद्धे जायते कुले । अधःशिरास्तु यो ज्वालामूर्ध्वपादः पिबेन्नरः
But if he falls, O king, he is born in a prosperous family; the one who drinks with his head downward and feet upward at the root of the flame.
शतं वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । परिभ्रष्टस्तु राजेंद्र अग्निहोत्री भवेन्नरः
For a hundred thousand years he is honored in the heavenly world; but if he falls, O king, he becomes a performer of Agnihotra.
भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं भजते नरः । यस्तु देहं विकर्तित्वा शकुनिभ्यः प्रयच्छति
After enjoying abundant pleasures, the man approaches that sacred place; he who, having cut his body, offers it to the birds.
विहंगैरुपभुक्तस्य शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम् । शतं वर्षसहस्राणां सोमलोके महीयते
Hear the result for one whose body is consumed by birds: for a hundred thousand years he is honored in the world of Soma.
ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो राजा भवति धार्मिकः । गुणवान्रूपसंपन्नो विद्वान्सुप्रियदेहवान्
Then, having fallen from heaven, he becomes a righteous king, endowed with virtues, beauty, wisdom, and a most pleasing body.
भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं भजते पुनः । यामुने चोत्तरे कूले प्रयागस्य तु दक्षिणे
After enjoying abundant pleasures, he again approaches that sacred place, on the northern bank of the Yamuna and the southern side of Prayaga.
ऋणप्रमोचनं नाम तीर्थं तत्परमं स्मृतम् । एकरात्रोषितो भूत्वा ऋणैः सर्वैः प्रमुच्यते
The sacred place called ṛṇapramocana is considered supreme; after staying there for a single night, one is freed from all debts.
सूर्यलोकमवाप्नोति अनृणी च सदा भवेत्
He attains the world of the sun and remains forever free from debts.