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.
ये चान्ये बहवः सर्वे तिष्ठंति च युधिष्ठिर । पृथिवीस्थानमारभ्य निर्मितं दैवतैस्त्रिभिः
And many others, O Yudhiṣṭhira, also remain; beginning from the earth's foundation, all are established by the three deities.
प्रजापतेरिदं क्षेत्रं प्रयागमिति विश्रुतम् । एतत्पुण्यं पवित्रं च प्रयागं तु युधिष्ठिर
This field of the Lord of creatures is renowned as Prayāga; this Prayāga, O Yudhiṣṭhira, is holy and pure.
स्वराज्यं कुरु राजेंद्र भ्रातृभिः सहितो भव
Rule the kingdom, O king, together with your brothers.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये अष्टचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-eighth chapter on the greatness of Prayāga in the Svarga section of the glorious Padma Mahāpurāṇa.
सूत उवाच- भ्रातृभिः सहिताः सर्वे पांडवा धर्मनिश्चयाः । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो नमस्कृत्वागुरुदेवांस्त्वतर्पयन्
Sūta said: All the Pāṇḍavas, united with their brothers and firm in righteousness, bowed to the Brāhmaṇas and honored the revered teachers and gods.
वासुदेवोऽपि तत्रैव क्षणेनाभ्यागतस्तदा । पांडवैः सहितैः सर्वैः पूज्यमानः स माधवः
Vāsudeva also arrived there at that moment; Mādhava was worshipped by all the Pāṇḍavas together.
कृष्णेन सहितैः सर्वैः पुनरेव महात्मभिः । अभिषिक्तः स्वराज्ये तु धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
With Kṛṣṇa and all the great souls, Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Dharma, was again consecrated in sovereignty.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे चैव मार्कंडेयो महात्मवान् । ततः स्वस्तीति चोक्त्वा वै क्षणादाश्रममागतः
Meanwhile, the great-souled Mārkaṇḍeya, after saying 'be well,' immediately went to his hermitage.
युधिष्ठिरोऽपि धर्मात्मा भ्रातृभिः सहितस्तु सः । महादानं ददौ चाथ धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
Yudhishthira, righteous in soul, together with his brothers, then gave a great gift; thus the son of Dharma, Yudhishthira, bestowed charity.
यस्त्विदं कल्यमुत्थाय पठते वा शृणोति वा । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever, rising at an auspicious time, recites or hears this, is freed from all sins and goes to the world of Vishnu.
वासुदेव उवाच- मम वाक्यं तु कर्तव्यं तव स्नेहाद्ब्रवीम्यहम् । नित्यं यज्ञरतो भूत्वा प्रयागे विगतज्वरः
Vasudeva said: My words must be followed; out of affection for you, I speak. Always devoted to sacrifice, remain at Prayaga, free from affliction.
प्रयागं संस्मरन्नित्यं सहास्माभिर्युधिष्ठिर । स्वयं प्राप्स्यसि राजेंद्र स्वर्गलोकं तु शाश्वतम्
Constantly remembering Prayaga with us, O Yudhishthira, you yourself, O king, shall attain the eternal heavenly world.
प्रयागमनुगच्छेद्वा वसते वापि यो नरः । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति
Whoever follows the path to Prayaga or dwells there, his soul purified from all sins, also attains the heavenly world.
प्रतिग्रहादुपावृत्तः सन्तुष्टो नियतः शुचिः
He who refrains from accepting gifts, is content, disciplined, and pure—
अहंकारनिवृत्तश्च स तीर्थफलमश्नुते । अकोपनश्च राजेंद्र सत्यवादी दृढव्रतः । आत्मोपमश्च भूतेषु स तीर्थफलमश्नुते
He who is free from pride, O king, attains the fruit of pilgrimage; who is not prone to anger, speaks truth, is firm in vow, and regards all beings as himself—he attains the fruit of pilgrimage.
ऋषिभिः क्रतवः प्रोक्ता देवैश्चापि यथाक्रमम् । न हि शक्या दरिद्रेण यज्ञाः प्राप्तुं महीपते
Sacrifices have been declared by the sages and also by the gods in due order; but, O king, sacrifices cannot be performed by one who is poor.
बहूपकरणो यज्ञो नानासंभारसंभ्रमः । प्राप्यते विविधैरर्थ्यैः समृद्धैर्वा नरैः क्वचित्
A sacrifice involves many implements and a great array of diverse materials; it is sometimes accomplished by those who possess various means or by the wealthy.
यो दरिद्रैरपि बुधैः शक्यः प्राप्तुं नरेश्वर । ततो यज्ञफलैः पुण्यैस्तन्निबोध जनेश्वर
But, O lord of men, hear of that which can be attained even by the wise among the poor; know, O lord of people, the merit equal to the fruits of sacrifice.
ऋषीणां परमं गुह्यमिदं भरतसत्तम । तीर्थाभिगमनं पुण्यं यज्ञैरपि विशिष्यते
This, O best of the Bharatas, is the supreme secret of the sages: the merit of pilgrimage surpasses even that of sacrifices.
दशकोटिसहस्राणि त्रिंशत्कोट्यस्तथापरे । माघमासे तु गंगायां गमिष्यंति नरर्षभ
Ten thousand crores and thirty crores more, O best of men, will go to the Ganga in the month of Magha.