एवं सर्वेषु लोकेषु प्रयागः पूज्यते बुधैः । पूज्यते तीर्थराजस्य सत्यमेतद्युधिष्ठिर
In the same way, in all worlds, Prayaga is honored by the wise; this is the truth, O Yudhishthira, regarding the king of sacred fords.
ब्रह्मापि स्मरते नित्यं प्रयागं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तीर्थराजमनुप्राप्य नैवान्यत्किंचिदिच्छति
Even Brahma always remembers Prayaga, the supreme sacred ford; having reached the king of fords, one desires nothing else.
को हि देवत्वमासाद्य मानुषत्वं चिकीर्षति । अनेनैवानुमानेन त्वं ज्ञास्यसि युधिष्ठिर
For who, having attained divinity, would wish to become human? By this very reasoning, you will understand, O Yudhishthira.
यथा पुण्यमपुण्यं वा तथैव कथितं मया । युधिष्ठिर उवाच- श्रुतं तद्यत्त्वया प्रोक्तं विस्मितोऽहं पुनः पुनः
Just as merit and demerit have been described by me, so it is; Yudhishthira said: I have heard what you have spoken, and I am astonished again and again.
कथं योगेन तत्प्राप्तिः स्वर्गलोकस्तु कर्मणा । तदा च लभते भोगान्गां च तत्कर्मणां फलम्
How is that attainment achieved by yoga, and heaven by action? And then, by that action, does one obtain enjoyments and the fruit of those deeds?
तानि कर्माणि पृच्छामि पुनर्यैः प्राप्यते महीम् । मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणुराजन्महाबाहो यथोक्तकर्म्मणा मही
I ask again about those actions by which the earth is attained; Markandeya said: Listen, O king of mighty arms, to how the earth is attained by the actions described.
गामग्निं ब्राह्मणं शास्त्रं कांचनं सलिलं स्त्रियः । मातरं पितरं चैव यो निंदति नराधिप
Whoever reviles a cow, fire, Brahmin, scripture, gold, water, women, mother, or father, O ruler of men—
नैतेषामूर्ध्वगमनमेवमाह प्रजापतिः । एवं योगस्य संप्राप्तिः स्थानं परमदुर्लभम्
For these, there is no ascent—so says Prajapati; thus is the attainment of yoga, a place supremely difficult to reach.
गच्छंति नरकं घोरं ये नराः पापकारिणः । हस्त्यश्वं गामनड्वाहं मणिमुक्तादि कांचनम्
Those men who commit evil deeds go to dreadful hell; whoever steals an elephant, horse, cow, vehicle, jewel, pearl, gold—
परोक्षं हरते यस्तु पश्चाद्दानं प्रयच्छति । न ते गच्छंति वै स्वर्गं दातारो यत्र भोगिनः
Whoever secretly takes and then gives as a gift later—such givers do not go to heaven, where the enjoyers reside.
अनेन कर्म्मणा युक्ताः पच्यंते नरकेऽधमाः । एवं योगं च धर्म्मं च दातारं च युधिष्ठिर
Engaged in such action, the lowest are cooked in hell; thus, O Yudhishthira, is yoga, dharma, and the giver described.
यथा सत्यमसत्यं वा अस्ति नास्तीति यत्फलम् । निरुक्तं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि यथायं स्वयमाप्नुयात्
Whether truth or untruth, being or non-being, whatever the result, I will now explain precisely how one attains it oneself.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये षट्चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-sixth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of Prayaga,' in the Svarga Khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं पुनरेव तु । नैमिषं पुष्करं चैव गोतीर्थं सिंधुसागरम्
Markandeya said: Listen, O King, once again to the greatness of Prayaga, as well as Naimisha, Pushkara, Gotirtha, and the ocean of Sindhu.
कुरुक्षेत्रं गया चैव गंगासागरमेव च । एते चान्ये च बहवो ये च पुण्याः शिलोच्चयाः
Kurukshetra, Gaya, and also the confluence of the Ganga with the ocean—these and many other sacred places, as well as holy clusters of stones—
दशतीर्थसहस्राणि त्रिंशत्कोट्यस्तथापरे । प्रयागे संस्थिता नित्यमेवमाहुर्मनीषिणः
Ten thousand sacred fords and thirty crore others, they say, are always established at Prayaga, so declare the wise.
त्रीणि चाप्यग्निकुंडानि येषां मध्ये तु जाह्नवी । प्रयागादभिनिष्क्रांता सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता
And there are three fire-altars, in the midst of which flows the Jahnavi; emerging from Prayaga, she is honored above all sacred fords.
तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । गंगायमुनया सार्धं संस्थिता लोकभाविनी
The goddess, daughter of the Sun, renowned in the three worlds, stands at Prayaga together with the Ganga and Yamuna, bringing benefit to all beings.
गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये पृथिव्या जघनं स्मृतम् । प्रयागं राजशार्दूल कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम्
The region between the Ganga and Yamuna is regarded as the womb of the earth; O tiger among kings, even the sixteenth part of Prayaga cannot be matched.
तिस्रः कोट्योऽर्द्धकोटी च तीर्थानां वायुरब्रवीत् । दिव्यं भुव्यंतरिक्षे च तत्सर्वं जाह्नवि स्मृता
Three crore and a half crore sacred fords, so said Vayu, whether divine, earthly, or in the sky—all these are considered to be the Jahnavi.
प्रयागं समधिष्ठानं कंबलाश्वतरावुभौ । भोगवत्यथ या चैव वेदिरेषा प्रजापतेः
Prayaga is the abode of Kambala and Ashvatara; and Bhogavati, as well as this altar, belongs to Prajapati.
तत्र देवाश्च यज्ञाश्च मूर्तिमंतो युधिष्ठिर । पूजयंति प्रयागं ते ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः
There, O Yudhishthira, gods and sacrifices take on form; they worship Prayaga, as do sages rich in austerity.
यजंते क्रतुभिर्देवांस्तथा बहुधना नृपाः । ततः पुण्यतमो नास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत
Kings possessed of great wealth perform sacrifices to the gods there; therefore, O Bharata, there is nothing more holy in the three worlds.
प्रभावात्सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रभवत्यधिकं विभो । दशतीर्थसहस्राणि तिस्रः कोट्यस्तथापरे
By its power, O mighty one, Prayaga surpasses all other sacred fords; ten thousand sacred fords and three crore others are there.
यत्र गंगा महाभागा स देशस्तत्तपोवनम् । सिद्धक्षेत्रं तु तज्ज्ञेयं गंगातीरसमाश्रितम्
Where the most blessed Ganga is found, that land is an abode of asceticism; know that place to be a field of perfection, sheltered by the bank of the Ganga.
इति सत्यं द्विजातीनां साधूनामात्मजस्य वा । सुहृदां च जपेत्कर्णे शिष्यस्यानुगतस्य वा
This truth should be recited in the ear of a twice-born, a virtuous person, one's own son, a friend, or a devoted disciple.
इदं धन्यमिदं स्वर्ग्यमिदं सेव्यमिदं शुभम् । इदं पुण्यमिदं रम्यं पावनं धर्ममुत्तमम्
This is blessed, this leads to heaven, this is worthy of service, this is auspicious; this is meritorious, delightful, purifying, and the highest dharma.
महर्षीणामिदं गुह्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । अधीत्य च द्विजो ध्यायन्निर्मलत्वमवाप्नुयात्
This is the secret of the great sages, the destroyer of all sins; a twice-born who studies and meditates upon it attains purity.
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं तीर्थं पुण्यं सदा शुचिः । जातिस्मरत्वं लभते नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
Whoever hears this daily, always pure, about the sacred ford, attains knowledge of past births and rejoices in the highest heaven.
प्राप्यंते तानि तीर्थानि सद्भिः शिष्टार्थदर्शिभिः । स्नाहि तीर्थेषु कौरव्य न च वक्रमतिर्भव
Those sacred fords are attained by the virtuous who seek the true purpose; bathe in the fords, O Kauravya, and do not let your mind turn aside.