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
แม้เพียงทาหรืออาศัยดินศักดิ์สิทธิ์ก็พ้นจากบาปทั้งปวงได้ ที่สังฆมแห่งประยาคะ การให้ทาน ศราทธะ การสวดภาวนา (ชปะ) และกิจอื่น ๆ ย่อมให้ผลเป็นอักษัย คือไม่เสื่อมสูญ
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.