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.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये चतुश्चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter in the section on the glory of Prayaga, in the Svarga-khanda of the revered Padma Mahapurana.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रयागस्य यत्त्वया कीर्तनं कृतम् । विशुद्धमेतद्धृदयं प्रयागस्य च कीर्तनात् । अनाशकफलं ब्रूहि भगवंस्तत्र कीदृशम्
Yudhishthira said: Having heard your praise of Prayaga, my heart is purified by its glorification. Tell me, O Lord, what is the fruit for one who does not fast there?
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागे तु अनाशकफलं विभो । प्राप्नोति पुरुषो धीमान्श्रद्दधानश्च यादृशम्
Markandeya said: Hear, O king, the fruit for one who does not fast at Prayaga. A wise and faithful person attains such a result.
अहीनांगो विरोगश्च पंचेंद्रियसमन्वितः । अश्वमेधफलं तस्य गच्छतस्तु पदे पदे
He becomes whole-bodied, free from disease, endowed with all five senses; at every step, he obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.
कुलानि तारयेद्राजन्दशपूर्वान्दशापरान् । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो गच्छेत परमं पदम्
He saves ten generations before and ten generations after, is freed from all sins, and attains the supreme state.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- महाभागोसि धर्मज्ञ दानं वदसि मे प्रभो । अल्पेनैव प्रधानेन बहून्धर्मानवाप्नुयात्
Yudhishthira said: You are greatly fortunate and knowledgeable in dharma. Tell me, O Lord, how one may obtain many virtues with a small or principal gift.
अश्वमेधस्तु बहुभिः सुकृतैः प्राप्यते इह । एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि परं कौतूहलं हि मे
The Ashvamedha is attained here by many good deeds; explain this doubt of mine, for I am greatly curious.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्महावीर युदुक्तं पद्मयोनिना । ऋषीणां सन्निधौ पूर्वं कथ्यमानं मया श्रुतम्
Markandeya said: Hear, O king, mighty one, what was spoken by the lotus-born, formerly narrated in the presence of sages and heard by me.
पंचयोजनविस्तीर्णं प्रयागस्य तु मंडलम् । प्रविशंस्तस्य तद्भूमावश्वमेधं पदे पदे
The region of Prayaga spans five yojanas in breadth; entering its land, at every step one attains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.
व्यतीतान्पुरुषान्सप्त भविष्यांश्च चतुर्दश । नरस्तारयते सर्वान्यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत्
A person who gives up their life there saves all the seven ancestors who have passed and the fourteen descendants yet to come.
एवं ज्ञात्वा तु राजेंद्र सदा श्रद्धापरो भवेत् । अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषाः पापोपहतचेतसः । न प्राप्नुवंति तत्स्थानं प्रयागं देवनिर्मितम्
Thus understanding, O king, one should always be devoted with faith; those without faith, whose minds are afflicted by sin, do not attain that place, Prayaga, created by the gods.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- स्नेहाद्वा द्रव्यलोभाद्वा ये तु कामवशं गताः । कथं तीर्थफलं तेषां कथं पुण्यमवाप्नुयुः
Yudhishthira said: Those who, out of affection or greed for wealth, are driven by desire—how can they obtain the merit of pilgrimage, how can they gain virtue?
विक्रयं सर्वभांडानां कार्याकार्यमजानतः । प्रयागे का गतिस्तस्य एवं ब्रूहि महामुने
What is the fate of one who, ignorant of what is proper or improper, sells all their goods at Prayaga? Tell me this, O great sage.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्महागुह्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । मासं वसंस्तु राजेंद्र प्रयागे नियतेंद्रियः
Markandeya said: Listen, O king, to the great secret that destroys all sins; one who dwells for a month at Prayaga with controlled senses—
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः यथादिष्टं स्वयंभुवा । शुचिस्तु प्रयतो भूत्वाऽहिंसकः श्रद्धयान्वितः
Is freed from all sins as ordained by the Self-born; being pure, devoted, nonviolent, and endowed with faith.
मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः स गच्छेत्परमं पदम् । विश्रंभघातकानां तु प्रयागे शृणु तत्फलम्
He is freed from all sins and attains the supreme state; hear now the result for those who break trust at Prayaga.
त्रिकालमेव स्नायीत आहारं भैक्ष्यमाचरेत् । त्रिभिर्मासैः प्रमुच्येत प्रयागात्तु न संशयः
One should bathe three times daily and subsist on alms; in three months, one is certainly freed at Prayaga—there is no doubt.
प्रज्ञानेन तु यस्येह तीर्थयात्रादिकं भवेत् । सर्वकामसमृद्धस्तु स्वर्गलोके महीयते
By wisdom, if one undertakes pilgrimage and related rites here, all desires are fulfilled and one is honored in the heavenly world.
स्थानं स लभते नित्यं धनधान्यसमाकुलम् । एवं ज्ञानेन संपूर्णः सदा भवति भोगवान्
He attains a place always abundant in wealth and grain; thus, being complete in knowledge, he is ever prosperous.
तारिताः पितरस्तेन नरकात्प्रपितामहाः । धर्मानुसारे तत्त्वज्ञ पृच्छतस्ते पुनः पुनः । त्वत्प्रियार्थं समाख्यातं गुह्यमेतत्सनातनम्
By him, ancestors and forefathers are rescued from hell; according to dharma, O knower of truth, you have asked again and again; for your sake, this ancient secret has been revealed.