तदरण्यं प्रविष्टस्य तुंगकं राजसत्तम । पापं विनश्यते सद्यः स्त्रिया वै पुरुषस्य वा
For one who enters that Tungaka forest, O best of kings, sin is destroyed at once, whether of a woman or a man.
तत्र मासं वसेद्धीरो नियतो नियताशनः । ब्रह्मलोकं व्रजेद्राजन्पुनीते च कुलं पुनः
There, a steadfast person should reside for a month, with self-restraint and regulated food; he attains the world of Brahma, O king, and again purifies his lineage.
मेधावनं समासाद्य पितृदेवांश्च तर्पयेत् । अग्निष्टोममवाप्नोति स्मृतिं मेधां च विंदति
Upon reaching Medhavana, one should satisfy the ancestors and gods; he attains the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and gains memory and intelligence.
तत्र कालंजरं गत्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । आत्मानं साधयेत्तत्र गिरौ कालंजरे नृप
There, upon going to Kalanjara, one attains the merit equal to a thousand cows; one should perfect oneself there, O king, on the mountain Kalanjara.
स्वर्गलोके महीयेत नरो नास्त्यत्र संशयः । ततो गिरिवरश्रेष्ठे चित्रकूटे विशांपते
A person is honored in the heavenly world; there is no doubt about this. Then, O lord of men, at the foremost mountain, Chitrakuta.
मंदाकिनीं समासाद्य नदीं पापविमोचनीम् । अत्राभिषेकं कुर्वाणः पितृदेवार्चने रतः
Upon reaching the Mandakini river, which frees from sin, one who performs ablution there, devoted to worshipping ancestors and gods—
अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति गतिं च परमां व्रजेत् । ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र गुहस्थानमनुत्तमम्
He attains the fruit of the horse sacrifice and reaches the highest state; thereafter, O king, he proceeds to the most excellent abode of Guha.
यत्र देवो महासेनो नित्यं सन्निहितो नृप । पुमांस्तत्र नरःश्रेष्ठ गमनादेव सिध्यति
Where the great god Mahasena is always present, O ruler, there, O best of men, a person succeeds merely by going.
कोटितीर्थे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत् । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य यशःस्थानं व्रजेन्नरः
Bathing at the Koṭitīrtha, a man obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows; after circumambulating, he attains a place of renown.
अभिगम्य महादेवं विराजति यथा शशी । तत्र कूपो महाराज विश्रुतो भरतर्षभ
Approaching Mahadeva, who shines like the moon, there is a well, O great king, famed among the descendants of Bharata.
समुद्रा यत्र चत्वारो निवसंति युधिष्ठिर । ततोपस्पृश्य राजेंद्र कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्
Where the four oceans reside, O Yudhishthira; after touching there, O king, and also performing circumambulation,
नियतात्मा नरः पूतो गच्छेत परमां गतिम् । ततो गच्छेत्कुरुश्रेष्ठ शृंगवेरपुरं महत्
A man with controlled self, purified, attains the highest state; then, O best of the Kurus, he should proceed to the great city of Shringa-vera.
यत्र तीर्णो महाप्राज्ञो रामो दाशरथिः पुरा । गंगायां तु नरः स्नात्वा ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः
Where once the wise Rama, son of Dasharatha, crossed; bathing in the Ganga there, a celibate with mastered senses,
विधूतपाप्मा भवति वाजपेयं च विंदति । ततो मुंजवटं गछेत्स्थानं देवस्य धीमतः
Becomes freed from sin and attains the fruit of the Vajapeya sacrifice; then he should go to Munjavaṭa, the place of the wise god.
अभिगम्य महादेवमभ्यर्च्य च नराधिप । प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्
Approaching Mahadeva and worshipping him, O king of men, after circumambulating, one attains the favor of Ganapati.
ततो गच्छेत राजेंद्र प्रयागमृषिसंस्तुतम् । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा दिशश्च सदिगीश्वराः
Then, O king, he should proceed to Prayaga, praised by sages, where Brahma and other gods, and the guardians of the directions dwell.
लोकपालाश्च सिद्धाश्च निरताः पितरस्तथा । सनत्कुमारप्रमुखास्तथैव च महर्षयः
Where the protectors of the worlds, the siddhas, and the ancestors are engaged, and Sanatkumara and other great sages likewise.
तथा नागाः सुपर्णाश्च सिद्धाः शुक्रधरास्तथा । सरितः सागराश्चैव गंधर्वाप्सरसस्तथा
There also are the nagas, suparnas, siddhas bearing Shukra, rivers, oceans, gandharvas, and apsaras.
हरिश्च भगवानास्ते प्रजापतिपुरस्कृतः । तत्र त्रीण्यपि कुंडानि तयोर्मध्येन जाह्नवी
And Hari, the blessed one, is present there, preceded by Prajapati; there are three pools, and between them flows the Jahnavi.
प्रयागात्समतिक्रांता सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता । तपनस्य सुता तत्र त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता
Surpassing Prayaga, honored above all sacred places, the daughter of the sun is there, renowned in the three worlds.
यमुनागंगया सार्द्धं संगता लोकभाविनी । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये पृथिव्या जघनं स्मृतम्
Joined with Yamuna and Ganga, she brings benefit to the worlds; between Ganga and Yamuna, the earth's hip is considered.
प्रयागं जघनस्यांतमुपस्थमृषयो विदुः । प्रयागं सुप्रतिष्ठानं कंबलाश्वतरावुभौ
The sages know Prayaga as the end of the hip and the seat; Prayaga is firmly established, along with Kambala and Ashvatara.
तीर्थं भोगवती चैव वेदी प्रोक्ता प्रजापतेः । तत्र वेदाश्च यज्ञाश्च मूर्त्तिमंतो युधिष्ठिर
Bhogavati is the sacred place there, and the altar of Prajapati is declared; there, O Yudhishthira, the Vedas and sacrifices are embodied.
प्रजापतिमुपासंत ऋषयश्च महानघाः । यजंते क्रतुभिर्देवांस्तथा चक्रधरा नृप
The sinless sages worship Prajapati, and the gods, O king, as well as those bearing the discus, perform sacrifices there.
ततः पुण्यतमं नास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत । प्रयागं सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रभावेणाधिकं प्रभो
Therefore, O Bhārata, there is no place more holy in the three worlds; Prayāga surpasses all other sacred fords in its power, O Lord.
श्रवणात्तस्य तीर्थस्य नामसंकीर्तनादपि । मूर्धका नमनाद्वापि सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते
By merely hearing the name of that sacred place, by uttering its name, or by bowing one's head to it, one is freed from all sins.
तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्संगमे संशितव्रतः । पुण्यं सुमहदाप्नोति राजसूयाश्वमेधयोः
Whoever, with firm vows, performs ablution at the confluence there attains great merit, equal to that of the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices.
एषा यजनभूमिर्हि देवानामपि तत्कथा । दत्तं तत्र स्वल्पमपि महद्भवति भारत
This is indeed the sacrificial ground even for the gods; whatever is given there, even if small, becomes great, O Bhārata.
न देववचनात्तात न लोकवचनादपि । मतिरुत्क्रमणीया ते प्रयागमरणं प्रति
O dear one, neither by the words of the gods nor by the words of men should your mind be turned away from dying at Prayāga.
दशतीर्थसहस्राणि षष्टिकोट्यस्तथापराः । येषां सान्निध्यमत्रैव कीर्त्तितं कुरुनंदन
Ten thousand sacred fords and sixty crores more are said to be present here, O joy of the Kurus.