यथायोगसहस्रेण योगो लभ्येत मानवैः । यस्तु सर्वाणि रत्नानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यः प्रयच्छति
Just as yoga is attained by humans after a thousand yogas, so too, one who gives all jewels to Brahmins—
तेन दानेन दत्तेन योगो लभ्येत मानवैः । प्रयागे तु मृतस्येदं सर्वं भवति नान्यथा
By that gift, by that act of giving, yoga is attained by humans; but if one dies at Prayaga, all this is obtained, not otherwise.
प्रधानहेतुं वक्ष्यामि श्रद्दधत्सु च भारत । यथा सर्वेषु भूतेषु सर्वत्रैव तु दृश्यते
I will declare the principal reason to those who have faith, O Bharata; just as in all beings, everywhere, it is seen—
ब्रह्म नैवास्ति वै किंचिद्यद्वक्तुं त्विदमुच्यते । यथा सर्वेषु भूतेषु ब्रह्म सर्वत्र पूज्यते
There is truly nothing apart from Brahman, yet this is said for the sake of explanation; just as Brahman is revered everywhere in all beings.
एवं सर्वेषु लोकेषु प्रयागः पूज्यते बुधैः । पूज्यते तीर्थराजस्य सत्यमेतद्युधिष्ठिर
Thus, in all the worlds, Prayāga is honored by the wise; truly, O Yudhiṣṭhira, it is revered as the king of holy places.
ब्रह्मापि स्मरते नित्यं प्रयागं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । तीर्थराजमनुप्राप्य नैवान्यत्किंचिदिच्छति
Even Brahmā constantly remembers Prayāga, the supreme holy place; having attained the king of holy places, one desires nothing else.
को हि देवत्वमासाद्य मानुषत्वं चिकीर्षति । अनेनैवानुमानेन त्वं ज्ञास्यसि युधिष्ठिर
For who, having attained divinity, would wish to become human? By this very reasoning, you will understand, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
यथा पुण्यमपुण्यं वा तथैव कथितं मया । युधिष्ठिर उवाच- श्रुतं तद्यत्त्वया प्रोक्तं विस्मितोऽहं पुनः पुनः
Just as virtue and vice have been described by me, so it is; Yudhiṣṭhira said: I have heard what you have spoken, and I am amazed again and again.
कथं योगेन तत्प्राप्तिः स्वर्गलोकस्तु कर्मणा । तदा च लभते भोगान्गां च तत्कर्मणां फलम्
How is that attainment achieved by yoga, and heaven by action? And then, by those actions, does one obtain enjoyments and the fruit of those deeds?
तानि कर्माणि पृच्छामि पुनर्यैः प्राप्यते महीम् । मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणुराजन्महाबाहो यथोक्तकर्म्मणा मही
I ask again about those actions by which the earth is attained; Markandeya said: Hear, O king of mighty arms, how the earth is gained by the prescribed actions.
गामग्निं ब्राह्मणं शास्त्रं कांचनं सलिलं स्त्रियः । मातरं पितरं चैव यो निंदति नराधिप
Whoever reviles a cow, fire, a brāhmaṇa, scripture, gold, water, women, mother, or father, O ruler of men—
नैतेषामूर्ध्वगमनमेवमाह प्रजापतिः । एवं योगस्य संप्राप्तिः स्थानं परमदुर्लभम्
For these, there is no ascent to higher realms—so declares Prajāpati; thus is the attainment of yoga, a place extremely difficult to reach.
गच्छंति नरकं घोरं ये नराः पापकारिणः । हस्त्यश्वं गामनड्वाहं मणिमुक्तादि कांचनम्
Those men who commit evil deeds go to terrible hell; those who steal an elephant, horse, cow, vehicle, jewel, pearl, or gold—
परोक्षं हरते यस्तु पश्चाद्दानं प्रयच्छति । न ते गच्छंति वै स्वर्गं दातारो यत्र भोगिनः
He who takes something secretly and then gives it as a gift later—such givers do not go to heaven, where the enjoyers dwell.
अनेन कर्म्मणा युक्ताः पच्यंते नरकेऽधमाः । एवं योगं च धर्म्मं च दातारं च युधिष्ठिर
Engaged in such actions, the lowest are cooked in hell; thus, O Yudhiṣṭhira, is yoga, dharma, and the giver described.
यथा सत्यमसत्यं वा अस्ति नास्तीति यत्फलम् । निरुक्तं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि यथायं स्वयमाप्नुयात्
As is the fruit of truth or untruth, of existence or non-existence, so I shall clearly declare how one attains it himself.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये षट्चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-sixth chapter in the section on the glory of Prayāga, in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the great Padma Purāṇa.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रयागस्य माहात्म्यं पुनरेव तु । नैमिषं पुष्करं चैव गोतीर्थं सिंधुसागरम्
Markandeya said: Hear again, O king, the greatness of Prayāga, as well as Naimisha, Pushkara, Go-tirtha, and the confluence of the Sindhu and the ocean.
कुरुक्षेत्रं गया चैव गंगासागरमेव च । एते चान्ये च बहवो ये च पुण्याः शिलोच्चयाः
Kurukshetra, Gaya, and also the confluence of the Ganga and the ocean—these and many other sacred places, and those holy mountain peaks.
दशतीर्थसहस्राणि त्रिंशत्कोट्यस्तथापरे । प्रयागे संस्थिता नित्यमेवमाहुर्मनीषिणः
Ten thousand holy places and thirty crores more are always present at Prayāga—so declare the wise.
त्रीणि चाप्यग्निकुंडानि येषां मध्ये तु जाह्नवी । प्रयागादभिनिष्क्रांता सर्वतीर्थपुरस्कृता
And there are three fire-altars, in the midst of which flows the Jahnavi; emerging from Prayāga, she is honored above all holy places.
तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । गंगायमुनया सार्धं संस्थिता लोकभाविनी
The goddess, daughter of the Sun, renowned in the three worlds, stands at Prayāga with the Yamuna and Ganga, sustaining the worlds.
गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये पृथिव्या जघनं स्मृतम् । प्रयागं राजशार्दूल कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम्
The region between the Ganga and Yamuna is regarded as the womb of the earth; O tiger among kings, even the sixteenth part of Prayaga cannot be equaled.
तिस्रः कोट्योऽर्द्धकोटी च तीर्थानां वायुरब्रवीत् । दिव्यं भुव्यंतरिक्षे च तत्सर्वं जाह्नवि स्मृता
The wind declared that there are thirty million and a half sacred fords, both divine and earthly and in the sky; all of these are said to be contained in the Ganga.
प्रयागं समधिष्ठानं कंबलाश्वतरावुभौ । भोगवत्यथ या चैव वेदिरेषा प्रजापतेः
Prayaga is the established seat of Kambala and Ashvatara; and also of Bhogavati, and this altar belongs to Prajapati.
तत्र देवाश्च यज्ञाश्च मूर्तिमंतो युधिष्ठिर । पूजयंति प्रयागं ते ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः
There, O Yudhishthira, the gods and the sacrifices themselves take form; they honor Prayaga, as do the sages rich in austerity.
यजंते क्रतुभिर्देवांस्तथा बहुधना नृपाः । ततः पुण्यतमो नास्ति त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत
Kings of great wealth, as well as the gods, perform sacrifices there; therefore, O Bharata, there is nothing more holy in the three worlds.
प्रभावात्सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रभवत्यधिकं विभो । दशतीर्थसहस्राणि तिस्रः कोट्यस्तथापरे
By its power, O mighty one, it surpasses all other sacred fords; ten thousand sacred fords and thirty million more are there.
यत्र गंगा महाभागा स देशस्तत्तपोवनम् । सिद्धक्षेत्रं तु तज्ज्ञेयं गंगातीरसमाश्रितम्
Where the blessed Ganga flows, that land is an abode of austerity; know that place as a field of perfection, sheltered by the bank of the Ganga.
इति सत्यं द्विजातीनां साधूनामात्मजस्य वा । सुहृदां च जपेत्कर्णे शिष्यस्यानुगतस्य वा
Thus, this truth should be recited in the ear of twice-borns, the virtuous, one's own son, friends, or a devoted disciple.