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.
चतुर्विद्ये च यत्पुण्यं सत्यवादिषु चैव यत् । स्नातएवतदाप्नोतिगंगायामुनसंगमे
Whatever merit is gained by mastering the four Vedas or by truthfulness, that is obtained by bathing at the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā.
ततो भोगवती नाम वासुकेस्तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तत्राभिषेकं यः कुर्यात्सोऽश्वमेधमवाप्नुयात्
Next is the supreme holy place called Bhogavatī, the ford of Vāsuki; whoever performs ablution there attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
तत्र हंसप्रपतनं तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् । दशाश्वमेधिकं चैव गंगायां कुरुनंदन
There is the famous ford called Haṃsaprapatana, renowned in the three worlds, and also the Daśāśvamedhika on the Gaṅgā, O joy of the Kurus.
कुरुक्षेत्रसमा गंगा यत्र तत्रावगाहिता । विशेषो वै कनखले प्रयागं परमं महत्
Where the Gaṅgā is like Kurukṣetra, there immersion is especially praised; but Prayāga is the highest and greatest.
यद्यकार्यशतं कृत्वा कृतं गंगावसेवनम् । सर्वं तत्तस्य गंगापो दहत्यग्निरिवेंधनम्
Even if one has committed a hundred misdeeds, by serving the waters of Gaṅgā, all those are burned up like fire burns fuel.
सर्वं दहति गंगापस्तूलराशिमिवानलः । सर्वं कृतयुगे पुण्यं त्रेतायां पुष्करं स्मृतम्
The waters of Gaṅgā burn up everything, just as fire consumes a heap of straw; all merit in Kṛtayuga is remembered, and in Tretā, Puṣkara.
द्वापरे तु कुरुक्षेत्रं गंगा कलियुगे स्मृता । पुष्करे तु तपस्तप्येद्दानं दद्यान्महालये
In Dvāpara, Kurukṣetra is remembered, and in Kaliyuga, the Gaṅgā; in Puṣkara one should perform austerity, in Mahālaya one should give gifts.
मलये त्वग्निमारोहेद्भृगुतुंगे त्वनाशनम् । पुष्करे तु कुरुक्षेत्रे गंगापो मध्यगेषु च
In Malaya, one should ascend the fire; in Bhṛgutunga, one should fast unto death; in Puṣkara, Kurukṣetra, the waters of Gaṅgā, and the middle regions as well.
सद्यस्तारयते जंतुः सप्तसप्तावरांस्तथा । पुनाति कीर्त्तिता पापं दृष्ट्वा पुण्यं प्रयच्छति
At once, a being is delivered, along with seven generations; when praised, it purifies from sin, and when seen, it bestows merit.
अवगाढा च पीत्वा च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । यावदस्थि मनुष्यस्य गंगायाः स्पृशते जलम्
By bathing or drinking, it purifies up to the seventh generation; as long as a person's bones touch the waters of Gaṅgā.
तावत्स पुरुषो राजन्स्वर्गलोके महीयते । यथा पुण्यानि तीर्थानि पुण्यान्यायतनानि च
So long, O King, is a person honored in the world of heaven; just as the sacred fords and holy shrines are meritorious.
उपास्य पुण्यं लब्ध्वा च भवति परलोकभाक् । न गंगा सदृशं तीर्थं न देवः केशवात्परः
By worshipping and obtaining merit, one attains the next world; there is no sacred ford like Gaṅgā, nor any god greater than Keśava.
ब्राह्मणेभ्यः परं नास्ति एवमाह पितामहः । यत्र गंगा महाराज स देशस्तत्र योजनम्
There is nothing higher than the Brahmins, so said the Grandfather; wherever the Ganga flows, O great king, that land is measured there.
सिद्धक्षेत्रं च विज्ञेयं गंगातीरसमाश्रितम् । इदं सत्यं द्विजातीनां साधूनां मानसेषु च
Know that the region along the banks of the Ganga is a field of perfection; this is true for the twice-born, the virtuous, and those with pure minds.
मुक्तिं चैव जपेत्कर्णे शिष्टस्यानुगतस्य च । इदं धर्म्यमिदं मेध्यमिदं स्वर्ग्यमिदं सुखम्
One should recite the liberation mantra in the ear of the worthy and the devoted; this is righteous, this is pure, this leads to heaven, this is happiness.
इदं पुण्यतमं रम्यं पावनं धर्ममुत्तमम् । महीशीर्षमिदं गुह्यं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
This is most holy, delightful, purifying, and the supreme dharma; it is the crown of the earth, secret, and the remover of all sins.
अधीत्य द्विजमध्ये च निर्मलत्वमवाप्नुयात् । श्रीमत्स्वर्ग्यं महापुण्यं सपत्नशमनं शिवम्
By studying it among the twice-born, one attains purity; it is glorious, heavenly, of great merit, the destroyer of enemies, and auspicious.
मेधाजननमग्र्यं वै तीर्थवंशानुकीर्त्तनम् । अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रमधनो धनमाप्नुयात्
It generates supreme intelligence and recounts the lineage of holy places; the childless gains a son, the poor acquires wealth.
महीं विजयते राजा वैश्यो धनमवाप्नुयात् । शूद्रो यातीप्सितान्कामान्ब्राह्मणः पारगः पठन्
The king conquers the earth, the merchant obtains wealth; the servant attains desired pleasures, and the Brahmin crosses over by reciting.
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं तीर्थपुण्यं सदा शुचि । जातिस्मरत्वमाप्नोति नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
Whoever hears this regularly, always pure, the merit of holy places, attains remembrance of past births and rejoices in the highest heaven.