The Padma Purana

by N.A. Deshpande | 1951 | 1,261,945 words | ISBN-10: 8120838297 | ISBN-13: 9788120838291

This page describes the greatness of prayaga which is chapter 91 of the English translation of the Padma Purana, one of the largest Mahapuranas, detailling ancient Indian society, traditions, geography, as well as religious pilgrimages (yatra) to sacred places (tirthas). This is the ninety-first chapter of the Uttara-Khanda (Concluding Section) of the Padma Purana, which contains six books total consisting of at least 50,000 Sanskrit metrical verses.

Disclaimer: These are translations of Sanskrit texts and are not necessarily approved by everyone associated with the traditions connected to these texts. Consult the source and original scripture in case of doubt.

Chapter 91 - The Greatness of Prayāga

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1-4a. Saying so, Viṣṇu taking up a form resembling a small glittering fish fell into the hollow of the hands of Kaśyapa at his residence on the Vindhya (mountain). The sage kindly and quickly put him into (his) water-pot. When it could not contain itself there, he put it into a well. When it could not contain itself there, he put it into a lake. In this way it was (in the end) put into the sea. It grew there also. Then Viṣṇu, having the form of the fish, killed Śaṅkha. Then taking him in his hand he came to the Badarī-forest. Calling all the sages there, he ordered them (like) this.

Śrīkṛṣṇa said:

4b-6. Remove the Vedas dropped into the water. Quickly bring them with the Upaniṣads from the interior of the water. Till then I, with the group of deities, shall live at Prayāga.

Nārada said:

7-11. Then all the sages, endowed with the power of penance, lifted the Vedas with the six Vedāṅgas and with sacrifices. Since then that sage who got a portion of them (i.e. the Vedas) became the seer of that (much portion), O king. Then all the sages together went to Prayāga. They presented the Vedas obtained by them to Viṣṇu with the Creator. Brahmā, obtaining the Vedas with the sacrifices was delighted; and with the group of deities and sages he performed the horse-sacrifice. At the end of the sacrifice lords of gods, siddhas, serpents, yakṣas fell (i.e. prostrated themselves) like a staff, and requested (Viṣṇu).

Gods said:

12-15. O god of gods, O lord of the world, O master, listen to our request. This is time for our joy. Therefore, be a giver of a boon. O Ramā’s lord, the sages themselves have brought to this place the lost Vedas. Due to your favour we have received shares in the sacrifice. May this place always be, by your grace, the best one on the earth. It should increase religious merit and give pleasures and salvation. May this time also be highly meritorious, and may it purify the killers etc. of brāhmaṇas. May it give inexhaustible (objects). Grant us this boon.

Śrīkṛṣṇa said:

16-28. O gods, I think in the same way as you have said. Let it be so. May this (place) be famous as Brahmakṣetra. A king born in the solar dynasty will bring Gaṅgā here. She will be here united with Yamunā, the daughter of the Sun. All of you, Brahmā and others, (should) live here with me. This holy place will be well-known as Tīrtha-rāja (‘king of holy places’). May acts like (giving) gifts, (practising) penance, (observing) vows, (offering) a sacrifice, muttering (hymns), and worship give inexhaustible fruits. May they always give proximity with me. May sins like the murder of a brāhmaṇa committed during many existences perish the very moment at the sight of this holy place. Similarly the wise cast their bodies in my vicinity. Those men enter my body only and not a new existence. May the groups of the dead ancestors of those who come here and offer a śrāddha intended for the dead ancestors, have the same world as mine. May this very auspicious period also be always fruitful to men. The sin of those who bathe (here) when the Sun has entered Capricornus, perishes. Merely on seeing those who bathe (daily) in the morning in Māgha when the Sun is in Capricornus, sins go away, as darkness on (the appearance of) the Sun. As a result of the (daily) bath in Māgha when the Sun is in Capricornus, I grant men the triad, viz. the same world, the same form (as mine), and proximity (with me) in this order. O best sages, listen all of you. I am the giver of boons to you. I, the omniscient one, always live in Badarīvana. That fruit which you get after ten years by (practising) penance at other place, is always got here by you within a day. Those best men who see that place, are liberated while alive. Then no sin resides in them.

Sūta said:

29-30. Having spoken like this to the gods, the god of gods vanished there only with Brahma. All gods also lived there in portions. And those (gods), Indra and others, vanished. That best man of a pure heart who would listen to this religious verse or make others listen to it (i.e. tell it to others), would obtain the fruit which is obtained in the lord of holy places, Badarīvana, and (would) also (obtain) me[1].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

‘Me’ here standing for Sūta obviously has no relevance.

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