अपवादभयाद्भीता यदि त्वं देवि पुण्यदे
If you, O goddess, bestower of merit, are afraid of the danger of slander,
अवंती तु समाख्याता सप्त कल्पसनातनी
Avanti has been declared as the eternal city of seven cycles.
तस्यास्तीरे शुभं लिंगं दुर्द्धर्षेश्वरदक्षिणे
On its shore is a blessed linga, to the south of the Lord Durddharsha.
तस्य दर्शनमात्रेण कृतकृत्या भविष्यसि
By merely seeing it, you will have fulfilled your purpose.
इत्युक्ता सा त्रिपथगा नारदेन महात्मना
Thus addressed by the great-souled Narada, the river Tripathaga,
संश्लेषं च तदा कृत्वा लिंगं दृष्ट्वा सुपावनम्
Then, having embraced, she beheld the supremely pure linga.
अथ सूर्यसुता देवी यमुना पापनाशिनी
Then the goddess Yamuna, daughter of the Sun, destroyer of sin,
ददर्श देवी तां गंगां ध्यायंती शंकरं शिवम्
The goddess beheld Ganga, meditating on Shankara, Shiva.
अथ तेनैव कालेन प्राचीदेवी सरस्वती 5.2.71.
Then, at that very time, the eastern goddess Sarasvati appeared.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवि शक्रं .प्राह स नारदः
Meanwhile, O goddess, Narada spoke to Shakra.
गंगायमुनयोर्मध्ये यत्र गुप्ता सरस्वती
Where the Sarasvatī is hidden between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā,
स सांप्रतं प्रयागस्तु महाकालवनोत्तमे
That place is now known as Prayāga, in the most excellent Mahākālavana.
इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा नारदस्य महात्मनः
Hearing these words of the great-souled Nārada,
स्तुवंतो विविधैः स्तोत्रैर्गंगां त्रिपथगां शुभाम्
They praised the auspicious Gaṅgā, the threefold-flowing river, with various hymns.
वसूनां जननी देवि वसूनां मोक्षदायिनि
O goddess, mother of the Vasus, bestower of liberation upon the Vasus,
सेविता वालखिल्यैश्च कृष्णस्य परमा कला
Worshipped by the Vālakhilyas, you are the supreme energy of Kṛṣṇa.
सुता त्वं पाविनी देवि मार्त्तंडस्य दिवस्पतेः
O pure goddess, you are the daughter of Mārtaṇḍa, lord of the day.
प्राची त्वमेव विख्याता पुण्यदेहा सरस्वती सा त्वं शिप्रा प्रसिद्धा च सर्वपातकनाशिनी
You alone are renowned as the eastern Sarasvatī, holy in form; you are also known as Śiprā, destroyer of all sins.
त्वं दया सर्वजंतूनां स्वर्गः शरणं नृणाम् 5.2.71.
You are compassion for all beings, heaven and refuge for humankind.
बहुजन्मकलंकांकं दृष्ट्वा या देहिनां भुवि
Seeing the many stains of countless births upon embodied beings on earth,
आसां च संगमो यस्तु स प्रयागो बुधैः स्मृतः
The confluence of these rivers is called Prayāga by the wise.
सोद्य प्रभृति देवोऽयं प्रयागेश्वरसंज्ञकः
From this day forth, this deity is known as Prayāgeśvara.
अत्रागत्य प्रपश्यंति ये प्रयागेश्वरं ततः
Those who come here and behold Prayāgeśvara,
कुलं च तारितं तेषां पैतृकं मातृकं तथा जायते नात्र संदेहः प्रयागेश्वरदर्शनात्
Their paternal and maternal lineages are liberated; there is no doubt that this occurs by seeing Prayāgeśvara.
गंगायां च प्रयागे च देवदारुवने शुभे
In the Gaṅgā, at Prayāga, and in the auspicious Devadāru forest,
त्र्यंबके धौतपापे च महेन्द्रे भैरवे तथा
At Tryambaka, Dhautapāpa, Mahendra, and also at Bhairava,
एतेषां दर्शनेनैव या सिद्धिर्द्वादशाब्दिका
By merely seeing these places, one attains the accomplishment gained in twelve years.
ये पश्यंति चतुर्द्दश्यामष्टम्यां च विशेषतः । भक्त्या च नियमं कृत्वा प्रयागेश्वरसंज्ञकम्
Those who behold Prayāgeśvara, especially on the fourteenth or eighth lunar days, with devotion and discipline,
न तेषां पुनरावृत्तिः कल्पकोटिशतैरपि 5.2.71.
There is no return for them, even after hundreds of millions of aeons.
कलास्तिस्रो भविष्यंति लिंगेऽस्मिन्मोक्षदे शुभे
Three portions will arise in this auspicious linga, which grants liberation.