Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 366
Brāhmaṇya-प्रश्नः — The Inquiry into Attaining Brāhmaṇya
Mataṅga–Gardabhī Itihāsa
समागच्छन्ति माध्यां तु प्रयागे भरतर्षभ । भरतश्रेष्ठ! षष्टिहदद नामक तीर्थमें स्नान करनेसे अन्नदानसे भी अधिक फल प्राप्त होता है। माघ-मासकी अमावास्याको प्रयागराजमें तीन करोड़ दस हजार अन्य तीर्थोंका समागम होता है
samāgacchanti māghyāṁ tu prayāge bharatarṣabha | bharataśreṣṭha ṣaṣṭihada-nāmaka-tīrthe snānena anna-dānād api adhikaṁ phalaṁ prāpyate | māgha-māsasya amāvāsyāyāṁ prayāgarāje trīṇi koṭi daśa-sahasrāṇi anyatīrthāni samāgamaṁ bhavanti |
Sinabi ni Ajaḍriya: “O toro sa mga Bharata, sa Prayāga sa buwan ng Māgha ay nagsasama-sama ang mga banal na agos. O pinakamainam sa mga Bharata, ang pagligo sa banal na tawiran na tinatawag na ‘Ṣaṣṭihada’ ay nagbubunga ng gantimpalang higit pa kaysa sa kabutihang dulot ng pamimigay ng pagkain. Sa araw ng Amāvāsyā (bagong buwan) ng Māgha sa Prayāgarāja, sinasabing tatlong krore at sampung libong iba pang tīrtha ang nagtitipon doon.”
अजड्रिय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage teaches that certain times and places—especially Māgha-amāvāsyā at Prayāga—are regarded as exceptionally potent for dharmic practice, where a single act like sacred bathing can be credited with merit surpassing even major charities such as feeding others.
Ajaḍriya is describing the greatness of Prayāga: during Māgha, many tīrthas are believed to converge there, and bathing at the specific ford called Ṣaṣṭihada on Māgha-amāvāsyā is praised as yielding extraordinary spiritual results.