Shloka 20

Matsya Purana — The Glory of Prayaga: Pilgrimage

Devanagari script

दुष्प्राप्यं मानुषैः पुण्यं प्रयागं तु युधिष्ठिर देवदानवगन्धर्वा ऋषयः सिद्धचारणाः तदुपस्पृश्य राजेन्द्र स्वर्गलोकमुपासते //

Transliteration

duṣprāpyaṃ mānuṣaiḥ puṇyaṃ prayāgaṃ tu yudhiṣṭhira devadānavagandharvā ṛṣayaḥ siddhacāraṇāḥ tadupaspṛśya rājendra svargalokamupāsate //

Translation

O Yudhiṣṭhira, sacred Prayāga is difficult for human beings to attain. Gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Ṛṣis, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas—having bathed there, O king—abide in the heavenly world.

Word by Word

• दुष्प्राप्यम् (duṣprāpyam): difficult to obtain/attain

• मानुषैः (mānuṣaiḥ): by humans

• पुण्यम् (puṇyam): holy, meritorious

• प्रयागम् (prayāgam): Prayāga (the sacred confluence)

• तु (tu): indeed

• युधिष्ठिर (yudhiṣṭhira): O Yudhiṣṭhira

• देव (deva): gods

• दानव (dānava): Dānavas (a class of powerful beings)

• गन्धर्वाः (gandharvāḥ): Gandharvas (celestial musicians)

• ऋषयः (ṛṣayaḥ): sages

• सिद्ध (siddha): perfected beings

• चारणाः (cāraṇāḥ): Cāraṇas (celestial bards/wanderers)

• तत् (tat): that place/there

• उपस्पृश्य (upaspṛśya): having touched the water/bathed, performed ablution

• राजेन्द्र (rājendra): O lord of kings

• स्वर्गलोकम् (svargalokam): the heavenly realm

• उपासते (upāsate): dwell in, resort to, abide in

Speaker

• Suta (Purana-narrator) addressing Yudhisthira (framing dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• Prayaga
• Yudhisthira
• Devas
• Danavas
• Gandharvas
• Rishis
• Siddhas
• Charanas
• Svarga

Tags

• Tirtha
• Prayaga
• Pilgrimage
• Snana
• Punya

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

This verse does not discuss Pralaya; it teaches tirtha-mahātmyā—how the sacred place Prayāga is exceptionally meritorious and leads to heavenly attainment.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It frames pilgrimage and ritual bathing (snāna) as a dharmic practice even for rulers—encouraging kings and householders to seek merit through tīrtha-yātrā and purification rites.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The ritual point is tīrtha-snāna (upaspṛśya—ablution/bathing) at Prayāga; no temple-architecture (vāstu) rule is stated in this verse.