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.
त्वया तु सम्यक्पृष्टेन कथितं तु मया विभो । पितरस्तारिताः सर्वे तारिताश्च पितामहाः
O Lord, as you have rightly asked, I have told you: all the ancestors have been delivered, and so too the forefathers.
प्रयागस्य तु सर्वे ते कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम् । एवं ज्ञानं च योगं च तीर्थं चैव युधिष्ठिर
Yet all of them do not attain even a sixteenth part of Prayaga; such is knowledge, such is yoga, and such is the holy place, O Yudhishthira.
बहुक्लेशेन युज्यंते ततो यांति परां गतिम् । प्रयागस्मरणाल्लोकः स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति
With great hardship they strive, and then attain the highest state; but by remembering Prayaga, people go to the heavenly world.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये सप्तचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-seventh chapter, on the greatness of Prayaga, in the Svarga-khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- कथा सर्वात्वियं प्रोक्ताप्रयागस्य महामुने । एवं मे सर्वमाख्याहि यथा च मम तारयेत्
Yudhishthira said: The story of Prayaga has been told in full, O great sage; now tell me everything, so that I too may be delivered.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रोक्तं सर्वमिदं जगत् । ब्रह्माविष्णुस्तथेशानो देवता प्रभुरव्ययः
Markandeya said: Listen, O king, I will declare all that has been spoken about this world: Brahma, Vishnu, and Ishana—the imperishable Lord of the gods.
ब्रह्मा सृजति भूतानि स्थावरं जंगमं च यत् । तान्येतानि परो लोके विष्णुः पालयति प्रजाः
Brahma creates beings, both immobile and mobile; all these, in the higher world, Vishnu protects as creatures.
कल्पांते तत्समग्रं हि रुद्रः संहरते जगत् । न ददाति च नाध्येति न कदाचिद्विनश्यति
At the end of the kalpa, Rudra withdraws the entire universe; he neither gives nor takes, nor is he ever destroyed.
ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां यः पश्यति स पश्यति । उत्तरेण प्रतिष्ठानादिदानीं ब्रह्म तिष्ठति
He who sees the Lord of all beings, truly sees; now, to the north of Pratishthana, Brahma abides.
महेश्वरो वटे भूत्वा तिष्ठते परमेश्वरः । ततो देवाः सगंधर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः
The great Lord, having become a banyan tree, stands there as the Supreme Lord; then the gods, along with the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and supreme seers,
रक्षंति परमं नित्यं पापकर्मपरायणान् । ये तु चान्ये च तिष्ठंति न यांति परमां गतिम्
constantly protect the supreme place, even those intent on sinful deeds; but others who remain there do not attain the highest state.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- अप्याह मे यथातत्त्वं यथैषां तिष्ठते श्रुतम् । केन वा कारणेनैव तिष्ठंति लोकसंमताः
Yudhishthira said: Tell me truly how they remain there, as I have heard; and for what reason do those, honored by the world, stay there?
मार्कंडेय उवाच- प्रयागे निवसंत्येते ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । कारणं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु तत्त्वं युधिष्ठिर
Markandeya said: At Prayaga, Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara dwell; I will tell you the reason—listen to the truth, O Yudhishthira.
पंचयोजनविस्तीर्णं प्रयागस्य तु मंडलम् । तिष्ठंति रक्षणार्थाय पापकर्मनिवारणाः
The region of Prayaga, five yojanas wide, is guarded for the removal of sinful acts.
तस्मिंस्तु स्वल्पकं पापं नरके पातयिष्यति । एवं ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च प्रयागे समहेश्वरः
There, only a little sin will cause one to fall into hell; thus, Brahma, Vishnu, and the great Lord are present at Prayaga.
सप्तद्वीपाः समुद्राश्च पर्वताश्च महीतले । तिष्ठंति ध्रियमाणाश्च यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
The seven continents, the oceans, and the mountains on the earth remain sustained until the dissolution of all beings.
ये चान्ये बहवः सर्वे तिष्ठंति च युधिष्ठिर । पृथिवीस्थानमारभ्य निर्मितं दैवतैस्त्रिभिः
And many others also remain, O Yudhishthira, from the foundation of the earth, established by the three deities.
प्रजापतेरिदं क्षेत्रं प्रयागमिति विश्रुतम् । एतत्पुण्यं पवित्रं च प्रयागं तु युधिष्ठिर
This field of the Lord of creatures is renowned as Prayaga; this Prayaga, O Yudhishthira, is holy and pure.
स्वराज्यं कुरु राजेंद्र भ्रातृभिः सहितो भव
Rule the kingdom, O king of kings, together with your brothers.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये अष्टचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-eighth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of Prayaga,' in the Svarga Khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.