सर्वेषां चैव भूतानां पापोपहतचेतसाम् । गतिमन्वेषमाणानां नास्ति गंगासमा गतिः
For all beings whose minds are afflicted by sin, seeking a path, there is no path equal to the Ganga.
पवित्राणां पवित्रं या मंगलानां च मंगलम् । महेश्वरशिरोभ्रष्टा सर्वपापहरा शुभा
She is the purifier of the pure, the auspicious among the auspicious, fallen from the head of Maheshvara, auspicious and remover of all sins.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं पुनरेव तु । यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः
Markandeya said: O King, listen once again to the greatness of Prayaga; by hearing this, one is freed from all sins—of this there is no doubt.
मानसं नाम तत्तीर्थं गंगायामुत्तरे तटे । त्रिरात्रोपोषितो भूत्वा सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात्
There is a sacred place called Manasa on the northern bank of the Ganga; one who fasts there for three nights attains all desires.
गोभूहिरण्यदानेन यत्फलं प्राप्नुयान्नरः । एतत्फलमवाप्नोति तत्तीर्थं स्मरते पुनः
Whatever merit a man gains by giving cows, land, or gold, he obtains that same merit by remembering that sacred place.
अकामो वा सकामो वा गंगायां यो विपद्यते । मृतस्तु भवति स्वर्गे नरकं न च पश्यति
Whether desiring or without desire, whoever dies in the Ganga, after death, attains heaven and does not see hell.
अप्सरोगणसंगीतैः सुप्तोऽसौ प्रतिबुध्यते । हंससारसयुक्तेन विमानेन स गच्छति
He awakens to the music of groups of apsaras and departs in a celestial chariot adorned with swans and cranes.
बहुवर्षाणि राजेन्द्र षट्सहस्राणि भुंजते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टः क्षीणकर्मा दिवश्च्युतः
O King, for many years—six thousand—he enjoys in heaven; then, fallen from heaven when his merit is exhausted, he descends from the sky.
सुवर्णमणिमुक्ताढ्ये जायते स महाकुले । षष्टितीर्थसहस्राणि षष्टितीर्थशतानि च
He is born in a great family, endowed with gold, jewels, and pearls; sixty thousand sacred places and sixty hundred holy sites—
माघेमासि गमिष्यंति गंगायमुनसंगमे । गवां शतसहस्रस्य सम्यग्दत्तस्य यत्फलम्
In the month of Magha, they go to the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna; the merit of properly giving a hundred thousand cows—
प्रयागे माघमासे तु त्र्यहंस्नानस्य तत्फलम् । गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये पंचाग्निं यस्तु साधयेत्
At Prayaga, in the month of Magha, the fruit of bathing for three days is as follows: whoever performs the five-fire rite between the Ganga and Yamuna—
अहीनांगो ह्यरोगश्च पंचेन्द्रियसमन्वितः । यावंति रोमकूपाणि तस्य गात्रस्य देहिनः
He becomes free from defects and disease, endowed with all five senses; as many hair follicles as are on his body—
तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो जंबूद्वीपपतिर्भवेत्
For that many thousands of years, he is honored in heaven; then, fallen from heaven, he becomes a lord of Jambudvipa.
स भुक्त्वा विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं भजते नरः । जलप्रवेशं यः कुर्यात्संगमे लोकविश्रुते
Having enjoyed great pleasures, the man worships that sacred place; whoever enters the water at the renowned confluence—
राहुग्रस्तो यथा सोमो विमुक्तः सर्वपातकैः । सोमलोकमवाप्नोति सोमेन सह मोदते
Just as the moon, seized by Rahu, is released from all stains, so he attains the world of Soma and delights there with Soma.
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि षष्टिवर्षशतानि च । स्वर्गलोकमवाप्नोति ऋषिगंधर्वसेवितः
For sixty thousand and sixty hundred years, he attains the world of heaven, attended by sages and gandharvas.
परिभ्रष्टस्तु राजेंद्र समृद्धे जायते कुले । अधःशिरास्तु यो ज्वालामूर्ध्वपादः पिबेन्नरः
But when he falls, O King, he is born in a prosperous family; one who drinks with his head downward, feet upward, in fire—
शतं वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गलोके महीयते । परिभ्रष्टस्तु राजेंद्र अग्निहोत्री भवेन्नरः
For a hundred thousand years, he is honored in heaven; but when he falls, O King, he becomes a performer of the Agnihotra sacrifice.
भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं भजते नरः । यस्तु देहं विकर्तित्वा शकुनिभ्यः प्रयच्छति
Having enjoyed great pleasures, the man worships that sacred place; but one who, after cutting his body, gives it to the birds—
विहंगैरुपभुक्तस्य शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम् । शतं वर्षसहस्राणां सोमलोके महीयते
Hear also the fruit for one whose body is consumed by birds: for a hundred thousand years, he is honored in the world of Soma.
ततः स्वर्गात्परिभ्रष्टो राजा भवति धार्मिकः । गुणवान्रूपसंपन्नो विद्वान्सुप्रियदेहवान्
Then, having fallen from heaven, the king is born as a righteous man, endowed with virtues, possessing beauty and knowledge, and blessed with a most pleasing form.
भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगांस्तत्तीर्थं भजते पुनः । यामुने चोत्तरे कूले प्रयागस्य तु दक्षिणे
After enjoying abundant pleasures, he again attains that sacred place, on the northern bank of the Yamuna and the southern side of Prayaga.
ऋणप्रमोचनं नाम तीर्थं तत्परमं स्मृतम् । एकरात्रोषितो भूत्वा ऋणैः सर्वैः प्रमुच्यते
That holy place is known as the supreme 'Liberation from Debt'; by staying there for a single night, one is freed from all debts.
सूर्यलोकमवाप्नोति अनृणी च सदा भवेत्
He attains the world of the Sun and remains forever free from debt.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये चतुश्चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter in the section on the greatness of Prayaga, in the Svarga-khanda of the glorious Padma Mahapurana.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रयागस्य यत्त्वया कीर्तनं कृतम् । विशुद्धमेतद्धृदयं प्रयागस्य च कीर्तनात् । अनाशकफलं ब्रूहि भगवंस्तत्र कीदृशम्
Yudhishthira said: Having heard your praise of Prayaga, my heart is purified by its glorification. O Lord, tell me what is the fruit for one who fasts there, and what kind of result is obtained?
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागे तु अनाशकफलं विभो । प्राप्नोति पुरुषो धीमान्श्रद्दधानश्च यादृशम्
Markandeya said: Hear, O King, the fruit of fasting at Prayaga. A wise and faithful person attains the result as follows.
अहीनांगो विरोगश्च पंचेंद्रियसमन्वितः । अश्वमेधफलं तस्य गच्छतस्तु पदे पदे
He becomes free from defects, without disease, endowed with all five senses; at every step, he gains the fruit of an Ashvamedha sacrifice.
कुलानि तारयेद्राजन्दशपूर्वान्दशापरान् । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो गच्छेत परमं पदम्
O King, he uplifts ten generations before and after him; he is freed from all sins and attains the supreme state.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- महाभागोसि धर्मज्ञ दानं वदसि मे प्रभो । अल्पेनैव प्रधानेन बहून्धर्मानवाप्नुयात्
Yudhishthira said: You are greatly fortunate and knower of dharma. Tell me, O Lord, how by a small or simple gift one may obtain many virtues.