आप्रयागात्प्रतिष्ठानाद्धर्मकी वासुकी ह्रदात् । कंबलाश्वतरौ नागौ नागाश्च बहुमूलिकाः
From Prayaga to Pratishthana, from Dharmaki and Vasuki's pool, the serpents Kambala and Ashvatara, and many other great serpents dwell.
एतत्प्रजापतिक्षेत्रं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । अत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः
This is the field of Prajapati, renowned in the three worlds. Those who bathe here ascend to heaven, and those who die here are not born again.
तत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवा रक्षां कुर्वंति संगताः । अन्ये च बहवस्तीर्थाः सर्वपापप्रणाशनाः
There, Brahma and the other gods gather to offer protection; and there are many other holy places that destroy all sins.
न शक्याः कथितुं राजन्बहुवर्षशतैरपि । संक्षेपेण प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रयागस्य च कीर्त्तनम्
O king, even in hundreds of years, it is not possible to recount them all. I shall briefly declare the glory of Prayaga.
षष्टिर्धनुः सहस्राणि परिरक्षंति जाह्नवीम् । यमुनां रक्षति सदा सविता सप्तवाहनः
Sixty thousand bows protect the Ganga, and the Sun, riding his seven steeds, always guards the Yamuna.
प्रयागं तु विशेषेण स्वयं रक्षति वासवः । मंडलं रक्षति हरिर्देवैः सह सुसंमतम्
Especially, Indra himself protects Prayaga, and Hari, together with the gods, guards the sacred precinct.
तं वटं रक्षते नित्यं शूलपाणिर्महेश्वरः । स्थानं रक्षति वै देवः सर्वपापहरं शुभम्
The Lord with the trident, Maheshvara, always protects that banyan tree; the god guards the auspicious place that removes all sins.
अधर्मेण वृतो लोके नैव गच्छति तत्पदम् । स्वल्पमल्पतरं पापं यदा तस्य नराधिप
One enveloped in unrighteousness in this world does not attain that state; but when even a little sin remains, O king,
प्रयागस्मरमाणस्य सर्वमायाति संक्षयम् । दर्शनात्तस्य तीर्थस्य नामसंकीर्तनादपि
For one who remembers Prayaga, all that is destroyed—by seeing that holy place or even by uttering its name.
मृत्तिका लभनाद्वापि नरः पापाद्विमुच्यते । पंचकुंडानि राजेंद्र येषां मध्ये तु जाह्नवी
Or by obtaining its sacred earth, a man is freed from sin. There are five pools, O king, among which flows the Ganga.
प्रयागे तु प्रविष्टस्य पापं क्षरति तत्क्षणात् । योजनानां सहस्रेषु गंगां स्मरति यो नरः
For one who enters Prayaga, sin is washed away at that very moment. Even at a thousand yojanas' distance, whoever remembers the Ganga—
अपि दुष्कृतकर्मासौ लभते परमां गतिम् । कीर्तनान्मुच्यते पापैर्दृष्ट्वा भद्राणि पश्यति
Even if he has committed evil deeds, he attains the highest state; by praising her, he is freed from sins, and by seeing her, he beholds auspicious things.
अवगाह्य च पीत्वा च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । सत्यवादी जितक्रोधो अहिंसां परमास्थितः
By bathing and drinking there, he purifies up to the seventh generation of his family; one who speaks truth, has conquered anger, and is firmly established in non-violence.
धर्मानुसारी तत्त्वज्ञो गोब्राह्मणहिते रतः । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये स्नातो मुच्येत किल्बिषात्
Following righteousness, knowing reality, devoted to the welfare of cows and Brahmins—one who bathes between the Ganga and Yamuna is freed from sin.
मनसा चिंतितान्कामान्सम्यक्प्राप्नोति पुष्कलान् । ततो गत्त्वा प्रयागं तु सर्वदेवाभिरक्षितम्
He attains, in full measure, the desires contemplated in his mind; then, going to Prayaga, protected by all the gods—
ब्रह्मचारी वसेन्मासं पितृदेवांश्च तर्पयेत् । ईप्सिताँल्लभते कामान्यत्र तत्राभिजायते
If he lives there as a celibate for a month and offers satisfaction to the ancestors and gods, he obtains the desired objects and is born there or elsewhere.
तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । समागता महाभागा यमुना यत्र निम्नगाः
The goddess Yamuna, daughter of the Sun, renowned in the three worlds, has come together there, where the great and blessed rivers descend.
तत्र सन्निहितो नित्यं साक्षाद्देवो महेश्वरः । दुष्प्रापं मानुषैः पुण्यं प्रयागं तु युधिष्ठिर
There, Lord Maheshvara is always present in person; O Yudhishthira, Prayaga is a sacred place difficult for humans to attain.
देवदानवगंधर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः । तत्रोपस्पृश्य राजेंद्र स्वर्गलोके महीयते
Gods, demons, Gandharvas, sages, Siddhas, and Charanas—having bathed there, O king, are honored in the heavenly world.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे एकचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-first chapter in the Svarga-khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं पुनरेव तु । यं गत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Markandeya said: Listen, O king, again to the greatness of Prayaga; by going there, one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.
आर्तानां च दरिद्राणां निश्चितव्यवसायिनाम् । स्थानं मुक्त्वा प्रयागं तु नाक्षयं तु कदाचन
For the distressed, the poor, and those with firm resolve, there is no imperishable place except Prayaga.
गंगायमुनमासाद्य यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत् । दीप्तकांचनवर्णाभे विमाने सूर्यवर्चसि
One who, reaching the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna, gives up his life, ascends to a radiant, golden-hued celestial vehicle, shining like the sun.
गंधर्वाप्सरसां मध्ये स्वर्गे मोदति मानवः । ईप्सिताँल्लभतेकामान्वदंति ऋषिपुंगवाः
In heaven, among Gandharvas and Apsaras, the man rejoices; he attains the desired objects, so say the foremost of sages.
सर्वरत्नमयैर्दिव्यैर्नानाध्वजसमाकुलैः । वरांगना समाकीर्णैर्मोदते शुभलक्षणैः
He delights in celestial vehicles made of all kinds of jewels, adorned with various banners, surrounded by excellent women with auspicious marks.
गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषैः प्रसुप्तः प्रतिबुध्यते । यावन्न स्मरते जन्म तावत्स्वर्गे महीयते
Awakened by the sounds of singing and musical instruments, he is honored in heaven as long as he does not remember his birth.
तत्र स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टः क्षीणकर्म्मा दिवश्च्युतः । हिरण्यरत्नसंपूर्णे समृद्धे जायते कुले
There, having fallen from heaven when his merit is exhausted, he is born in a prosperous family filled with gold and jewels.
तदेव स्मरते तीर्थं स्मरणात्तत्र गच्छति । देशस्थो यदि वारण्ये विदेशे यदि वा गृहे
He remembers that very sacred place, and by remembering it, he goes there—whether he is in his own land, in the forest, in another country, or at home.
प्रयागं स्मरमात्रोपि यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत् । स ब्रह्मलोकमाप्नोति वदंति ऋषिपुंगवाः
Even one who merely remembers Prayaga at the time of death attains the world of Brahma, so say the foremost of sages.
सर्वकामफलावृत्ता मही यत्र हिरण्मयी । ऋषयो मुनयः सिद्धा यत्र लोके प्रगच्छति
There, the earth is covered with all desired fruits and is golden; there, sages, ascetics, and perfected beings go to that world.