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.
इदं धन्यमिदं स्वर्ग्यमिदं सेव्यमिदं शुभम् । इदं पुण्यमिदं रम्यं पावनं धर्ममुत्तमम्
This is blessed, this leads to heaven, this is to be served, this is auspicious; this is holy, delightful, purifying, and the highest righteousness.
महर्षीणामिदं गुह्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । अधीत्य च द्विजो ध्यायन्निर्मलत्वमवाप्नुयात्
This is the secret of the great sages, the destroyer of all sins; having studied and meditated on it, a twice-born attains purity.
यश्चेदं शृणुयान्नित्यं तीर्थं पुण्यं सदा शुचिः । जातिस्मरत्वं लभते नाकपृष्ठे च मोदते
Whoever hears this sacred ford daily, always pure, attains remembrance of past births and rejoices on the summit of heaven.
प्राप्यंते तानि तीर्थानि सद्भिः शिष्टार्थदर्शिभिः । स्नाहि तीर्थेषु कौरव्य न च वक्रमतिर्भव
Those sacred fords are attained by the good, who see the purpose of the noble; bathe in the fords, O Kauravya, and do not be crooked in mind.
त्वया तु सम्यक्पृष्टेन कथितं तु मया विभो । पितरस्तारिताः सर्वे तारिताश्च पितामहाः
Because you have asked rightly, I have told you, O mighty one; all your ancestors and grandfathers have been delivered.
प्रयागस्य तु सर्वे ते कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम् । एवं ज्ञानं च योगं च तीर्थं चैव युधिष्ठिर
All those cannot equal even the sixteenth part of Prayaga; thus, O Yudhishthira, knowledge, yoga, and the sacred ford.
बहुक्लेशेन युज्यंते ततो यांति परां गतिम् । प्रयागस्मरणाल्लोकः स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति
With great effort they are attained, and then they reach the highest state; by remembering Prayaga, one attains the world of heaven.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये सप्तचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-seventh chapter in the section on the glory of Prayaga, in the Svarga-khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- कथा सर्वात्वियं प्रोक्ताप्रयागस्य महामुने । एवं मे सर्वमाख्याहि यथा च मम तारयेत्
Yudhishthira said: The story of Prayaga has been told in full, O great sage; now tell me everything by which I too may be delivered.
मार्कंडेय उवाच- शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रोक्तं सर्वमिदं जगत् । ब्रह्माविष्णुस्तथेशानो देवता प्रभुरव्ययः
Markandeya said: Listen, O king, I will declare all this as it was spoken; Brahma, Vishnu, and Ishana, the imperishable Lord of the gods.
ब्रह्मा सृजति भूतानि स्थावरं जंगमं च यत् । तान्येतानि परो लोके विष्णुः पालयति प्रजाः
Brahmā creates all beings, both immobile and moving; in the higher world, Viṣṇu protects these creatures.
कल्पांते तत्समग्रं हि रुद्रः संहरते जगत् । न ददाति च नाध्येति न कदाचिद्विनश्यति
At the end of the kalpa, Rudra destroys the entire universe; he neither gives nor takes, nor does he ever perish.
ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां यः पश्यति स पश्यति । उत्तरेण प्रतिष्ठानादिदानीं ब्रह्म तिष्ठति
He who sees the Lord of all beings, truly sees; now, after the establishment in the north, Brahma abides.
महेश्वरो वटे भूत्वा तिष्ठते परमेश्वरः । ततो देवाः सगंधर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः
The supreme Lord, becoming Maheśvara beneath the banyan tree, remains there; then the gods, along with Gandharvas, Siddhas, and great sages,
रक्षंति परमं नित्यं पापकर्मपरायणान् । ये तु चान्ये च तिष्ठंति न यांति परमां गतिम्
Always protect the supreme, those devoted to sinful deeds; but others who remain do not attain the highest path.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- अप्याह मे यथातत्त्वं यथैषां तिष्ठते श्रुतम् । केन वा कारणेनैव तिष्ठंति लोकसंमताः
Yudhiṣṭhira said: Please tell me truly how these remain as heard; and by what reason do those esteemed by the world stay?
मार्कंडेय उवाच- प्रयागे निवसंत्येते ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । कारणं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु तत्त्वं युधिष्ठिर
Mārkaṇḍeya said: Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara reside at Prayāga; I will declare the reason, listen to the truth, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
पंचयोजनविस्तीर्णं प्रयागस्य तु मंडलम् । तिष्ठंति रक्षणार्थाय पापकर्मनिवारणाः
The region of Prayāga, five yojanas wide, is where they remain for the purpose of protection and the removal of sinful actions.
तस्मिंस्तु स्वल्पकं पापं नरके पातयिष्यति । एवं ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च प्रयागे समहेश्वरः
There, even a small sin will cause one to fall into hell; thus Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara are together at Prayāga.
सप्तद्वीपाः समुद्राश्च पर्वताश्च महीतले । तिष्ठंति ध्रियमाणाश्च यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
The seven continents, the oceans, and the mountains upon the earth remain, sustained, until the dissolution of all beings.