तेन जीवंति लोकेऽस्मिन्यत्र यत्र युधिष्ठिर । ये प्रयागं न संप्राप्तास्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम्
By this, O Yudhiṣṭhira, those who have not reached Prayāga, renowned in the three worlds, continue to live in this world.
एवं दृष्ट्वा तु तत्तीर्थं प्रयागं परमं पदम् । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः शशांक इव राहुणा
Thus, upon seeing that sacred place, Prayāga, the supreme abode, one is freed from all sins, just as the moon from Rāhu.
कंबलाश्वतरौ नागौ यमुना दक्षिणे तटे । तत्र स्नात्वा च पीत्वा च मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः
On the southern bank of the Yamunā are the elephants Kambala and Aśvatara; bathing and drinking there, one is freed from all transgressions.
तत्र गत्वा तु तत्स्थानं महादेवस्य धीमतः । नरस्तारयते सर्वान्दशातीतान्दशापरान्
Going to that place, the abode of the wise Mahādeva, a person delivers all—ten generations before and ten generations after.
कृत्वाभिषेकं तु नरः सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् । स्वर्गलोकमवाप्नोति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
By performing the consecration there, a person obtains the fruit of the Aśvamedha sacrifice and attains the heavenly realm until the dissolution of creation.
पूर्वपार्श्वे तु गंगायां त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत । कूपं चैव तु सामुद्रं प्रतिष्ठानं तु विश्रुतम्
On the eastern side of the Gaṅgā, O Bhārata, in the three worlds, there is a well called Sāmudra and the renowned place called Pratiṣṭhāna.
ब्रह्मचारी जितक्रोधस्त्रिरात्रं यदि तिष्ठति । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
If a celibate, who has conquered anger, stays there for three nights, his soul purified of all sins, he attains the fruit of the Aśvamedha sacrifice.
उत्तरेण प्रतिष्ठानाद्भागीरथ्यास्तु पूर्वतः । हंसप्रपतनं नाम तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्
North of Pratiṣṭhāna and east of the Bhāgīrathī is the sacred place called Haṃsaprapatana, renowned throughout the three worlds.
अश्वमेधफलं तस्मिन्स्नातमात्रस्य भारत । यावच्चन्द्रश्च सूर्यश्च तावत्स्वर्गे महीयते
At that place, O Bhārata, merely by bathing, one attains the fruit of the Aśvamedha sacrifice and is honored in heaven as long as the moon and sun endure.
उर्वशीपुलिने रम्ये विपुले हंसपांडुरे । सलिलैस्तर्प्पयेद्यस्तु पितॄंस्तत्र विमत्सरः
On the delightful and vast Urvaśī bank, white as swans, one who offers water to the ancestors there, free from envy—
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि षष्टिवर्षशतानि च । सेवते पितृभिः सार्द्धं स्वर्गलोकं नराधिप
For sixty thousand years and sixty hundred years, O king, he enjoys the heavenly realm together with his ancestors.
पूज्यते सततं तत्र ऋषिगंधर्वकिन्नरैः । ततः स्वर्गपरिभ्रष्टः क्षीणकर्म्मा दिवश्च्युतः
There he is continually honored by sages, Gandharvas, and Kinnaras; then, fallen from heaven, his merit exhausted, he departs from the sky.
उर्वशीसदृशीनां तु कन्यानां लभते शतम् । गवां शतसहस्राणां भोक्ता भवति भूमिप
He obtains a hundred maidens resembling Urvaśī and becomes the enjoyer of a hundred thousand cows, O ruler of the earth.
कांचीनूपुरशब्देन सुप्तोऽसौ प्रतिबुध्यते । भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं लभते पुनः
Awakened by the sound of golden anklets, he, having enjoyed abundant pleasures, attains that sacred place again.
कुशासनधरो नित्यं नियतः संयतेंद्रियः । एककालं तु भुंजानो मासं भोगपतिर्भवेत्
He who always sits upon a seat of kusa grass, disciplined and with controlled senses, eating only once a day, becomes lord of enjoyments for a month.
सुवर्णालंकृतानां तु नारीणां लभते शतम् । पृथिव्यामासमुद्रायां महाभोगपतिर्भवेत्
He attains a hundred women adorned with gold, and on earth, up to the ocean’s edge, he becomes a great lord of enjoyments.
दशग्रामसहस्राणां भोक्ता भवति भूमिपः । धनधान्यसमायुक्तो दाता भवति नित्यशः
He becomes the ruler who enjoys ten thousand villages, endowed with wealth and grain, and is ever a giver.
स भुक्त्वा विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं स्मरते पुनः । अथ तस्मिन्वटे रम्ये ब्रह्मचारी जितेंद्रियः
Having enjoyed abundant pleasures, he remembers that sacred place again; then, at that beautiful banyan tree, a celibate with controlled senses—
उपोष्य योगयुक्तश्च ब्रह्मज्ञानमवाप्नुयात् । कोटितीर्थं समासाद्य यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत्
Fasting and engaged in yoga, he attains knowledge of Brahman; whoever gives up his life at the Koṭitīrtha attains—
कोटिवर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टः क्षीणकर्म्मा दिवश्च्युतः
He is honored in heaven for a thousand crores of years; then, fallen from heaven when his merit is exhausted, he descends from the world of the gods.
सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताढ्ये कुले भवति रूपवान् । ततो भोगवतीं गत्वा वासुकेरुत्तरेण तु
He is born in a family rich in gold, jewels, and pearls, possessing beauty; then, going to the city of enjoyments, north of Vasuki—
दशाश्वमेधकं तत्र तीर्थं तत्रापरं भवेत् । कृत्वाभिषेकं तु नरः सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
There is another sacred place, equal to ten horse sacrifices; by performing ablution there, a man obtains the fruit of an Ashvamedha.
धनाढ्यो रूपवान्दक्षो दाता भवति धार्मिकः । चतुर्वेदेषु यत्पुण्यं सत्यवादिषु यत्फलम्
He becomes wealthy, handsome, skilled, generous, and righteous; whatever merit is in the four Vedas, whatever fruit is in truthfulness—
अहिंसायां तु यो धर्म्मो गमनादेव तद्भवेत् । कुरुक्षेत्रसमा गंगा यत्रतत्रावगाह्यते
The merit of non-violence is obtained merely by going there; wherever the Ganga is entered, it is equal to Kurukshetra.
कुरुक्षेत्राद्दशगुणा यत्र सिंध्वा समागता । यत्र गंगा महाभागा बहुतीर्थतपोधना
Where the Sindhu joins, it is ten times greater than Kurukshetra; there the blessed Ganga, rich in many sacred places and austerities—
सिद्धक्षेत्रं हि तज्ज्ञेयं नात्र कार्या विचारणा । क्षितौ तारयते मर्त्यान्नागांस्तारयतेऽप्यधः
That is to be known as a field of perfection; there is no need for doubt here. It delivers mortals on earth and even the serpents below.
दिवि तारयते देवांस्तेन सा त्रिपथा स्मृता । यावदस्थीनि गंगायां तिष्ठंति तस्य देहिनः
In heaven, it delivers the gods; therefore, it is called the triple-path. As long as the bones of a person remain in the Ganga—
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । तीर्थानां तु परं तीर्थं नदीनामुत्तमा नदी
For that many thousands of years, he is honored in heaven. Among sacred places, it is the supreme; among rivers, the best river.
मोक्षदा सर्वभूतानां महापातकिनामपि । सर्वत्र सुलभा गंगा त्रिषु स्थानेषु दुर्लभा
It grants liberation to all beings, even to great sinners. The Ganga is easily accessible everywhere, but difficult in three places.
गंगाद्वारे प्रयागे च गंगासागरसंगमे । तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः
At Gangadvara, at Prayaga, and at the confluence of Ganga and the ocean—those who bathe there ascend to heaven; those who die there do not return to birth.