Adhyaya 45

Verse 1

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रयागस्य यत्त्वया कीर्तनं कृतम् । विशुद्धमेतद्धृदयं प्रयागस्य च कीर्तनात् । अनाशकफलं ब्रूहि भगवंस्तत्र कीदृशम्

Yudhiṣṭhira said: Having heard this praise of Prayāga that you have recited, my heart has been purified by the very glorification of Prayāga. O venerable one, tell me—what kind of imperishable fruit is obtained there?

Verse 2

मार्कंडेय उवाच । शृणु राजन्प्रयागे तु अनाशकफलं विभो । प्राप्नोति पुरुषो धीमान्श्रद्दधानश्च यादृशम्

Mārkaṇḍeya said: Listen, O King. At Prayāga, O lord, the imperishable fruit that a wise and faithful man attains through fasting—I shall tell you just as it is.

Verse 3

अहीनांगो विरोगश्च पंचेंद्रियसमन्वितः । अश्वमेधफलं तस्य गच्छतस्तु पदे पदे

He becomes whole in limb and free from disease, endowed with all five senses; and with every step he takes, he gains merit equal to the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 4

कुलानि तारयेद्राजन्दशपूर्वान्दशापरान् । मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यो गच्छेत परमं पदम्

O King, he delivers his lineages—ten generations before and ten generations after; he is freed from all sins and attains the supreme abode.

Verse 5

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । महाभागोसि धर्मज्ञ दानं वदसि मे प्रभो । अल्पेनैव प्रधानेन बहून्धर्मानवाप्नुयात्

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O greatly fortunate one, knower of dharma, you speak to me of charity, my lord. How can one, with only a little yet offered rightly, obtain many forms of merit (dharma)?”

Verse 6

अश्वमेधस्तु बहुभिः सुकृतैः प्राप्यते इह । एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि परं कौतूहलं हि मे

The Aśvamedha sacrifice is attained here only through many meritorious deeds. Tell me, then, to resolve this doubt—for my longing to know is very great.

Verse 7

मार्कंडेय उवाच । शृणु राजन्महावीर युदुक्तं पद्मयोनिना । ऋषीणां सन्निधौ पूर्वं कथ्यमानं मया श्रुतम्

Mārkaṇḍeya said: Listen, O king, great hero, to what was spoken by the Lotus-born (Brahmā). Formerly, in the presence of the sages, I heard it as it was being narrated.

Verse 8

पंचयोजनविस्तीर्णं प्रयागस्य तु मंडलम् । प्रविशंस्तस्य तद्भूमावश्वमेधं पदे पदे

The sacred circuit of Prayāga spans five yojanas; whoever enters that holy ground gains, at every step, the merit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.

Verse 9

व्यतीतान्पुरुषान्सप्त भविष्यांश्च चतुर्दश । नरस्तारयते सर्वान्यस्तु प्राणान्परित्यजेत्

A man who gives up his life here for this sacred cause delivers them all—seven generations that have passed and fourteen yet to come.

Verse 10

एवं ज्ञात्वा तु राजेंद्र सदा श्रद्धापरो भवेत् । अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषाः पापोपहतचेतसः । न प्राप्नुवंति तत्स्थानं प्रयागं देवनिर्मितम्

Knowing this, O king, one should ever be devoted to faith. Those without faith, whose minds are struck down by sin, do not attain that place—Prayāga, fashioned by the gods.

Verse 11

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । स्नेहाद्वा द्रव्यलोभाद्वा ये तु कामवशं गताः । कथं तीर्थफलं तेषां कथं पुण्यमवाप्नुयुः

Yudhiṣṭhira said: Those who, out of affection or greed for wealth, have fallen under the sway of desire—how can they obtain the fruit of pilgrimage to the tīrtha, and how can they attain merit?

Verse 12

विक्रयं सर्वभांडानां कार्याकार्यमजानतः । प्रयागे का गतिस्तस्य एवं ब्रूहि महामुने

And one who, not knowing what is right and what is wrong, engages in selling all kinds of goods—what becomes of him at Prayāga? Tell me this, O great sage.

Verse 13

मार्कंडेय उवाच । शृणु राजन्महागुह्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् । मासं वसंस्तु राजेंद्र प्रयागे नियतेंद्रियः

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Listen, O King, to this great secret that destroys all sins: O lord of kings, by dwelling for a month at Prayāga with the senses restrained…”

Verse 14

मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः यथादिष्टं स्वयंभुवा । शुचिस्तु प्रयतो भूत्वाऽहिंसकः श्रद्धयान्वितः

He is freed from all sins, as ordained by Svayambhū (Brahmā). Becoming pure and self-controlled, non-violent and endowed with faith, he attains that result.

Verse 15

मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः स गच्छेत्परमं पदम् । विश्रंभघातकानां तु प्रयागे शृणु तत्फलम्

He is freed from all sins and attains the supreme state. Now hear, regarding Prayāga, the fruit that befalls those who betray one who trusted them.

Verse 16

त्रिकालमेव स्नायीत आहारं भैक्ष्यमाचरेत् । त्रिभिर्मासैः प्रमुच्येत प्रयागात्तु न संशयः

One should bathe only at the three appointed times and live on alms as one’s food. By doing so for three months, one is surely liberated through the sanctity of Prayāga—of this there is no doubt.

Verse 17

प्रज्ञानेन तु यस्येह तीर्थयात्रादिकं भवेत् । सर्वकामसमृद्धस्तु स्वर्गलोके महीयते

But one who, in this world, undertakes pilgrimage to the tīrthas and related sacred observances with true discernment (prajñā) becomes fulfilled in all desired aims and is honored in the heavenly realm.

Verse 18

स्थानं स लभते नित्यं धनधान्यसमाकुलम् । एवं ज्ञानेन संपूर्णः सदा भवति भोगवान्

He ever attains a secure abode, abounding in wealth and grain; thus, perfected by sacred knowledge, he always becomes one who enjoys prosperity and ease.

Verse 19

तारिताः पितरस्तेन नरकात्प्रपितामहाः । धर्मानुसारे तत्त्वज्ञ पृच्छतस्ते पुनः पुनः । त्वत्प्रियार्थं समाख्यातं गुह्यमेतत्सनातनम्

By him the Fathers—indeed even the great‑grandfathers—were delivered from hell. O knower of truth, since you inquire again and again in accord with dharma, this ancient, eternal secret has been declared for your satisfaction.

Verse 20

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । अद्य मे सफलं जन्म अद्य मे सफलं कुलम् । प्रीतोऽस्म्यनुगृहीतोऽस्मि दर्शनादेव तेऽद्य वै । त्वद्दर्शनात्तु धर्मात्मन्मुक्तोऽहं सर्वपातकैः

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Today my birth has borne fruit; today my lineage has borne fruit. I rejoice; I am truly blessed—simply by beholding you today. And by your very sight, O righteous‑souled one, I have been freed from all sins.”

Verse 21

मार्कंडेय उवाच । दिष्ट्या ते सफलं जन्म दिष्ट्या ते तारितं कुलम् । कीर्तनाद्वर्द्धते पुण्यं श्रुतं पापप्रणाशनम्

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “By good fortune your birth has become fruitful; by good fortune your lineage has been delivered. Through kīrtana, devotional glorification, merit increases, and what is heard destroys sins.”

Verse 22

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । यमुनायां तु किं पुण्यं किं फलं तु महामुने । एतन्मे सर्वमाख्याहि यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम्

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O great sage, what sacred merit is there in the Yamunā, and what spiritual fruit (phala) does she bestow? Tell me all of this—just as you have seen it and just as you have heard it.”

Verse 23

मार्कंडेय उवाच । तपनस्य सुता देवी त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुता । समागता महाभागा यमुना यत्र निम्नगा

Mārkaṇḍeya said: The Goddess, daughter of Tapana, renowned in the three worlds, came—most blessed—to the place where the river Yamunā flows.

Verse 24

येनैव निःसृता गङ्गा तेनैव यमुना गता । योजनानां सहस्रेषु कीर्तनात्पापनाशिनी

From the very source whence the Gaṅgā issued forth, from that same source the Yamunā too flowed. Even thousands of yojanas away, the mere utterance of her name destroys sins.

Verse 25

तत्र स्नात्वा च पीत्वा च यमुनायां युधिष्ठिर । कीर्त्तनाल्लभते पुण्यं दृष्ट्वा भद्राणि पश्यति

There, O Yudhiṣṭhira, by bathing in the Yamunā and drinking her waters, one gains merit through her praise; and having beheld her, one comes to see auspicious blessings.

Verse 26

अवगाढा च पीत्वा च पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । प्राणांस्त्यजति यस्तत्र स याति परमां गतिम्

By bathing there and drinking that water, one purifies one’s lineage up to the seventh generation. And whoever gives up their life there attains the supreme destination.

Verse 27

अग्नितीर्थमिति ख्यातं यमुना दक्षिणे तटे । पश्चिमे धर्मराजस्य तीर्थं हरवरं स्मृतम्

On the southern bank of the Yamunā is the sacred ford renowned as Agni-tīrtha. To the west lies the tīrtha of Dharmarāja, remembered as Haravara-tīrtha.

Verse 28

तत्र स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः । एवं तीर्थसहस्राणि यमुना दक्षिणे तटे

Having bathed there, those who die attain heaven and do not return again to rebirth. Thus, on the southern bank of the Yamunā there are thousands of sacred fords (tīrthas).

Verse 29

उत्तरेण प्रवक्ष्यामि आदित्यस्य महात्मनः । तीर्थं तु विरजं नाम यत्र देवाः सवासवाः

Now I shall describe, in the northern region, the sacred place of the great-souled Āditya: the tīrtha called Virajā, where the gods—together with Indra—assemble.

Verse 30

उपासते स्म संध्यां तु नित्यकालं युधिष्ठिर । देवाः सेवंति तत्तीर्थं ये चान्ये विदुषो जनाः

O Yudhiṣṭhira, they regularly perform the Sandhyā rites at all times; and the gods, as well as other learned people, resort to and honor that sacred ford (tīrtha).

Verse 31

श्रद्दधानपरो भूत्वा कुरु तीर्थाभिषेचनम् । अन्ये च बहवस्तीर्थाः सर्वपापहराः शुभाः

Be devoted and full of faith, and perform the sacred bathing at the pilgrimage place. There are also many other holy tīrthas—auspicious and able to remove all sins.

Verse 32

तेषु स्नात्वा दिवं यांति ये मृतास्तेऽपुनर्भवाः । गंगा च यमुना चैव उभे तुल्यफले स्मृते

Those who die after bathing in those sacred waters go to heaven; they do not return again to rebirth. And the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā—both are remembered as yielding equal spiritual results.

Verse 33

केवलं श्रेष्ठभावेन गंगा सर्वत्र पूज्यते । एवं कुरुष्व कौंतेय स्वर्गतीर्थाभिषेचनम्

Only by her supreme excellence is the Gaṅgā worshipped everywhere. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform likewise the purifying ablution at the heavenly sacred ford (svarga-tīrtha).

Verse 34

यावज्जीवकृतं पापं तत्क्षणादेव नश्यति । यस्त्विदं कल्य उत्थाय पठते च शृणोति वा

All sin accumulated over a lifetime is destroyed that very instant for one who rises at dawn and recites this, or even merely listens to it.

Verse 35

मुच्यते सर्वपापेभ्यः स्वर्गलोकं च गच्छति

He is freed from all sins and goes to the heavenly world.

Verse 45

इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे यमुनामाहात्म्ये पंचचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the forty-fifth chapter, “The Glorification of the Yamunā,” in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the revered Padma Mahāpurāṇa.