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.
स्वस्थो भव महाराज भुक्त्वा राज्यमकंटकम् । पुनर्द्रक्ष्यसि राजेंद्र यजमानो विशेषतः
Be at ease, O great king, enjoy your kingdom without trouble; you shall see again, O king, especially as a sacrificer.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्यं। नाम ऊनपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus, in the glorious Padma Mahapurana, in the section on heaven, the forty-ninth chapter named 'The Greatness of Prayaga'.
ऋषय ऊचुः- भवता कथितं सर्वं यत्किंचित्पृष्टमेव च । इदानीमपि पृच्छाम एकं वद महामते
The sages said: All that has been told by you, and whatever was asked, has been explained; now we ask one more thing, tell us, O wise one.
एतेषां खलु तीर्थानां सेवनाद्यत्फलं लभेत् । सर्वेषां किल कृत्वैकं कर्म केन च लभ्यते
What is the fruit obtained by serving these holy places? By performing a single act, how can one obtain the result of all of them?
एतन्नो ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ कर्मैवं यदि वर्तते । सूत उवाच- कर्मयोगः किल प्रोक्तो वर्णानां द्विजपूर्वशः
Tell us this, O all-knowing one, if such an act exists. Suta said: The path of action has indeed been prescribed for the classes, beginning with the twice-born.
नानाविधो महाभागास्तत्र चैकं विशिष्यते । हरिभक्तिः कृता येन मनसा वचसा गिरा
There are many kinds, O blessed ones, but one excels among them: devotion to Hari, performed with mind, speech, and words.
जितं तेन जितं तेन जितमेव न संशयः । हरिरेव समाराध्यः सर्वदेवेश्वरेश्वरः
He is victorious, he is victorious, he is truly victorious—there is no doubt; having worshipped Hari alone, the Lord of all lords of the gods.
हरिनाममहामंत्रैर्नश्येत्पापपिशाचकम् । हरेः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा सकृदप्यमलाशयाः
By the great mantras of Hari’s name, the demon of sin is destroyed; even once, with pure intent, having circumambulated Hari.
सर्वतीर्थसमाप्लावं लभंते यन्न संशयः । प्रतिमां च हरेर्दृष्ट्वा सर्वतीर्थफलं लभेत्
They attain the merit of bathing in all sacred waters—there is no doubt; and by seeing the image of Hari, one obtains the fruit of all holy places.
विष्णुनामपरं जप्त्वा सर्वमंत्रफलं लभेत् । विष्णुप्रसादतुलसीमाघ्राय द्विजसत्तमाः
By reciting the supreme names of Viṣṇu, one attains the fruit of all mantras; by smelling the basil offered to Viṣṇu, O best of twice-born, the same result is gained.