Agni Purana — Bhuvanakosha & Tirtha-mahatmya, Shloka 7
प्रयागमाहात्म्यम्
The Greatness of Prayāga
मृत्तिकालम्भनाद्वापि सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते प्रयागे सङ्गते दानं श्राद्धं जप्यादि चाक्षयं
mṛttikālambhanādvāpi sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate prayāge saṅgate dānaṃ śrāddhaṃ japyādi cākṣayaṃ
Même en s’enduisant (ou en prenant appui sur) l’argile sacrée, on est délivré de tous les péchés. À Prayāga, au lieu de confluence, les dons (dāna), les offrandes de śrāddha, le japa et autres actes deviennent impérissables quant à leur mérite.
Lord Agni (narrating to the sage Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana’s typical dialogue frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Pilgrims may use Prayaga-mrittika (sacred clay) and perform dana, shraddha, and japa at the sangama to intensify and ‘make imperishable’ the merit of rites.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Prayaga Sangama: Mrittika-sevana and Akshaya Phala of Dana-Shraddha-Japa","lookup_keywords":["mrittika","Prayaga sangama","akshaya phala","dana","shraddha","japa"],"quick_summary":"Contact with sacred clay is stated to remove sins, and rites performed at the Prayaga confluence—gifts, śrāddha, japa—are declared akṣaya (non-decaying in merit)."}
Concept: Karma-phala is conditioned by desha-kala; tirtha-sangama functions as a ‘phala-vardhaka’ locus for rites and expiation.
Application: Perform dana and japa at sacred confluences; for shraddha, choose tirtha-kala/kshetra to enhance intended ancestral benefit.
Khanda Section: Tirtha-Mahatmya (Prayaga) / Dana-Shraddha-Japa Phala
Primary Rasa: Shraddha
Secondary Rasa: Shanta
Type: Tirtha
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Pilgrims at the sangama apply sacred clay, offer gifts, perform śrāddha with pindas, and chant japa on malas; the confluence is emphasized as a power-center of akshaya merit.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, river confluence with devotees smearing sacred clay on forehead/limbs, brahmins conducting shraddha with pindas and darbha, japa with rudraksha mala, stylized waves and lotus motifs","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, richly ornamented sangama scene, gold highlights on ritual vessels (kalasha, patra), donors giving cloth and coins, priests performing shraddha, luminous aura over the confluence","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, clear step-by-step ritual tableau: mrittika application, dana to brahmin, shraddha offerings, japa posture; fine lines, soft shading, didactic layout","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, bustling riverside ghat with ritual groups, donors and priests, detailed utensils and garments, subtle landscape depth, calm confluence waters"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"instructional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: मृत्तिकालम्भनाद्वापि→मृत्तिका + आलम्भनात् + वा + अपि. सर्वपापैः→सर्व + पापैः. चाक्षयम्→च + अक्षयम्.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 111.6; Agni Purana 111.10
FAQs
It teaches tīrtha-vidhi and phala-vāda: using sacred clay as a purificatory rite, and performing dāna, śrāddha, and japa at Prayāga-saṅgama for imperishable merit.
It exemplifies the text’s cataloging of practical religious disciplines—pilgrimage geography (tīrtha), ritual acts (dāna/śrāddha/japa), and their karmic results—alongside its many other subjects.
It asserts strong purification (removal of sins) and akṣaya-puṇya (non-decaying merit) when core rites are performed at the Prayāga confluence.