Adhyaya 48
Glorification of Prayāga (Prayāga Māhātmya)
After hearing the sacred account of Prayāga, Yudhiṣṭhira asks the sage Mārkaṇḍeya for a teaching that leads to deliverance. Mārkaṇḍeya sets forth the cosmic order through the Trimūrti: Brahmā creates beings, Viṣṇu sustains them, and Rudra withdraws the universe at the end of the aeon while remaining imperishable. He then anchors this theology in Prayāga, declaring that Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara dwell there. The sacred circuit of Prayāga extends for five yojanas, with protective guardians stationed throughout who remove sin and safeguard pilgrims. The chapter heightens the ethical gravity of the tīrtha, stating that even slight sin at Prayāga leads to hell, for the place is exceptionally sensitive in ritual and conduct. Prayāga is praised as Prajāpati’s holy region, purifying and merit-bestowing, and the teaching concludes with counsel toward stable kingship and unity.
Shlokas
Verse 1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच । कथा सर्वात्वियं प्रोक्ताप्रयागस्य महामुने । एवं मे सर्वमाख्याहि यथा च मम तारयेत्
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O great sage, you have spoken this entire sacred account of Prayāga. Now explain everything to me in such a way that it may bring about my deliverance.”
Verse 2
मार्कंडेय उवाच । शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रोक्तं सर्वमिदं जगत् । ब्रह्माविष्णुस्तथेशानो देवता प्रभुरव्ययः
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Listen, O king; I shall declare how this entire world has been spoken of—as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Īśāna (Śiva): the deity who is the Lord, imperishable.”
Verse 3
ब्रह्मा सृजति भूतानि स्थावरं जंगमं च यत् । तान्येतानि परो लोके विष्णुः पालयति प्रजाः
Brahmā creates all beings—both the immovable and the moving; and in the higher realm, Viṣṇu sustains these very creatures as the Lord who protects all subjects.
Verse 4
कल्पांते तत्समग्रं हि रुद्रः संहरते जगत् । न ददाति च नाध्येति न कदाचिद्विनश्यति
At the end of the kalpa, Rudra indeed withdraws the entire universe. Yet He neither gives nor receives, nor does He ever study; at no time does He perish.
Verse 5
ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां यः पश्यति स पश्यति । उत्तरेण प्रतिष्ठानादिदानीं ब्रह्म तिष्ठति
He alone truly sees who beholds the Lord present in all beings. Now Brahmā abides to the north of Pratiṣṭhāna.
Verse 6
महेश्वरो वटे भूत्वा तिष्ठते परमेश्वरः । ततो देवाः सगंधर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः
The Supreme Lord, Maheśvara, becoming (present as) a banyan tree, remains there. Then the gods, together with the Gandharvas, the Siddhas, and the great sages, assemble there.
Verse 7
रक्षंति परमं नित्यं पापकर्मपरायणान् । ये तु चान्ये च तिष्ठंति न यांति परमां गतिम्
They continually guard and uphold those devoted to sinful actions; but the others who remain in such ways do not attain the supreme state.
Verse 8
युधिष्ठिर उवाच । अप्याह मे यथातत्त्वं यथैषां तिष्ठते श्रुतम् । केन वा कारणेनैव तिष्ठंति लोकसंमताः
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Pray tell me the truth of it as it truly is, just as I have heard it—by what cause, indeed, do these (teachings or practices) remain established and accepted by the world?”
Verse 9
मार्कंडेय उवाच । प्रयागे निवसंत्येते ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः । कारणं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु तत्त्वं युधिष्ठिर
Mārkaṇḍeya said: In Prayāga dwell these—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara. I shall declare the reason; hear the truth, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
Verse 10
पंचयोजनविस्तीर्णं प्रयागस्य तु मंडलम् । तिष्ठंति रक्षणार्थाय पापकर्मनिवारणाः
The sacred circuit of Prayāga extends for five yojanas. There, for its protection, the warders who avert sinful deeds stand stationed.
Verse 11
तस्मिंस्तु स्वल्पकं पापं नरके पातयिष्यति । एवं ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च प्रयागे समहेश्वरः
There, even a slight sin will cast one down into hell. Thus it is declared: at Prayāga, Brahmā and Viṣṇu are present, together with Maheśvara.
Verse 12
सप्तद्वीपाः समुद्राश्च पर्वताश्च महीतले । तिष्ठंति ध्रियमाणाश्च यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्
On the face of the earth, the seven dvīpas, the oceans, and the mountains remain in their places—upheld—until the cosmic dissolution of all beings.
Verse 13
ये चान्ये बहवः सर्वे तिष्ठंति च युधिष्ठिर । पृथिवीस्थानमारभ्य निर्मितं दैवतैस्त्रिभिः
And many others too, O Yudhiṣṭhira, all of them abide there—beginning from the terrestrial realm—in a domain fashioned by the three divinities.
Verse 14
प्रजापतेरिदं क्षेत्रं प्रयागमिति विश्रुतम् । एतत्पुण्यं पवित्रं च प्रयागं तु युधिष्ठिर
This sacred region is renowned as Prayāga, belonging to Prajāpati. This Prayāga bestows great merit and purification, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
Verse 15
स्वराज्यं कुरु राजेंद्र भ्रातृभिः सहितो भव
O king of kings, establish your own sovereign rule, and remain united together with your brothers.
Verse 48
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे प्रयागमाहात्म्ये । अष्टचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-eighth chapter, “The Glorification of Prayāga,” in the Svarga-khaṇḍa of the Śrī Padma Mahāpurāṇa.