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.
सूत उवाच- भ्रातृभिः सहिताः सर्वे पांडवा धर्मनिश्चयाः । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्वागुरुदेवांस्त्वतर्पयन्
Suta said: All the Pandavas, united with their brothers and firm in righteousness, after bowing to the Brahmanas, satisfied their teachers and gods.
वासुदेवोऽपि तत्रैव क्षणेनाभ्यागतस्तदा । पांडवैः सहितैः सर्वैः पूज्यमानः स माधवः
Vasudeva also arrived there at that very moment; Madhava was honored by all the Pandavas together.
कृष्णेन सहितैः सर्वैः पुनरेव महात्मभिः । अभिषिक्तः स्वराज्ये तु धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
With Krishna and all the great souls, Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, was again anointed in sovereign rule.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे चैव मार्कंडेयो महात्मवान् । ततः स्वस्तीति चोक्त्वा वै क्षणादाश्रममागतः
Meanwhile, the great-souled Markandeya, after saying 'farewell,' returned to his hermitage in a moment.
युधिष्ठिरोऽपि धर्मात्मा भ्रातृभिः सहितस्तु सः । महादानं ददौ चाथ धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
Yudhishthira, righteous in soul and accompanied by his brothers, then gave great gifts, being the son of Dharma.
यस्त्विदं कल्यमुत्थाय पठते वा शृणोति वा । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever, rising at dawn, recites or hears this, is freed from all sins and goes to the world of Vishnu.
वासुदेव उवाच- मम वाक्यं तु कर्तव्यं तव स्नेहाद्ब्रवीम्यहम् । नित्यं यज्ञरतो भूत्वा प्रयागे विगतज्वरः
Vasudeva said: My words must be followed; out of affection for you I speak. Always devoted to sacrifice, remain at Prayaga, free from affliction.
प्रयागं संस्मरन्नित्यं सहास्माभिर्युधिष्ठिर । स्वयं प्राप्स्यसि राजेंद्र स्वर्गलोकं तु शाश्वतम्
Remembering Prayaga always, together with us, O Yudhishthira, you yourself, O king of kings, will attain the eternal heavenly world.
प्रयागमनुगच्छेद्वा वसते वापि यो नरः । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति
Whoever follows to Prayaga or even dwells there, his soul purified from all sins, goes to the heavenly world.
प्रतिग्रहादुपावृत्तः सन्तुष्टो नियतः शुचिः
One who refrains from accepting gifts, is content, disciplined, and pure—