Prayag or Prayaga

(A) Prayaga - Greatness (Page 1 - This Page)
(B) Prayaga - from Matsya and Padma Purana (Page 2)
(C) Prayaga - from Peetha Nirnaya Tantra (Page 5)
(D) Prayaga - from Valmiki Ramayana (Page 3)
(E) Prayaga - from Mahabharata (Page 4)
(F) Prayaga - Places to see (Page 6)

(A) Prayaga - Greatness:

• Meditation: I meditate on Prayaga at the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and hidden Saraswati, which is the imperishable abode of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara (as well as a Shakti Peetha), and where Sri Rama visited during his forest exile.

• Greatness of Prayaga:

1. Imperishable abode of the Tridevas in the Triveni Sangama: Prayaga is the imperishable abode of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara in the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and hidden Saraswati. Prayaga does not get destroyed at the end of the kalpa when the universe gets destroyed. Each of the individual presence (Ganga, Yamuna, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara) confers great holiness, and in Prayaga they have all come together along with Shakti, since Prayaga is also a Shakti Peetha. According to Matsya Purana and Padma Purana, the Prayaga Mandala is spread over an area of five yojanas. The entire universe is borne in Prayaga where Brahma, Vishnu and Ishana abides eternally. After the destruction of the universe at the end of the kalpa, Prayaga does not get destroyed. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva reside in Prayaga for its protection and removing the sins of the people. Lord Brahma lives in the north of Pratishthana (Prajapati Kshetra). Lord Vishnu lives in the form of Beni Madhava. And Lord Maheshwara lives in the form of Akshaya Vata. All the Devas with Gandharvas, Siddhas and Rishis protect Prayaga and remove the sins. Prayaga is one of the holiest pilgrimages and is termed as Tirtha-Raja or the King of Tirthas.

2. Confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and hidden Saraswati: Prayaga is an ancient pilgrimage at the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and hidden Saraswati. According to Matsya Purana and Padma Purana, Devas, Danavas, Gandharvas, Rishis, Siddhas and Charanas always visit the confluence at Prayaga. A person who takes bath in the confluence gets relieved of his sins and attain to higher abodes. During the month of Magha, sixty six thousand Tirthas assemble at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna. During Lunar Eclipse, it is highly meritorious to take bath in the confluence. The confluence of Ganga and Yamuna is considered as the hip (Jaghana) of the Earth (which supports the Earth). There are innumerable Tirthas on the banks of river Ganga and Yamuna. Some of them mentioned in Matsya Purana and Padma Purana are: Hamsaprapatana Tirtha, Kotitirtha, Bhogavati Tirtha, Dashashwamedha Tirtha, Manasa Tirtha, Rinamochana Tirtha, Agni Tirtha and Naraka Tirtha.

3. River Ganga: According to Matsya Purana and Padma Purana, river Ganga is protected in Prayaga by sixty thousand armed warriors. Ganga redeems Humans on Earth, Nagas in the Nether Worlds and Devas in Heaven. Hence Ganga is known as Tripathaga. Ganga is easily accessible in many places but difficult of access in three places - Gangadwara, Prayaga and Ganga Sagara. By taking bath in these places, people go to heaven. The Ganga which has fallen from the head of Maheshwara, is the most pure among the pure and most auspicious among the auspicious. There are three Agni Kundas through which river Ganga flows through Prayaga. The region around river Ganga in Prayaga is known as Siddhakshetra because of its spiritual glory.

4. River Yamuna: According to Matsya Purana and Padma Purana, river Yamuna is protected by Savita who is mounted on a chariot with seven horses. The river Yamuna has also come from the same source as Ganga. Like river Ganga, taking bath in river Yamuna removes the sins of a person.

5. Prajapati Kshetra and Yagna Vedi (Brahma): Prayaga is the eternal abode of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. According to Matsya Purana and Padma Purana, the region of Prayaga from Pratishthana (or Pratishthanapura) to Vasuki Hrada is known as the Prajapati Kshetra. The Nagas like Kambala and Ashvatara reside in Prayaga on the bank of river Yamuna. Lord Brahma lives in the north of Pratishthana. The Bhogavati Tirtha is the (Yagna) Vedi of Prajapati. There the Vedas and Yagnas assume embodied forms (during Yagna). The Rishis perform yagna there. The Chakravarti kings perform yagnas there. According to legend, the name Prayaga is said to be derived from "Pra" and "Yaga" which means the place where Brahma first performed Yagna. So Prayaga is the land of Yagna on the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and hidden Saraswati.

6. Beni Madhava and other Madhavas (Vishnu): Prayaga is the eternal abode of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. According to Matsya Purana, Lord Vishnu lives in Prayaga in the form of Beni Madhava. Prayaga is the abode of dwadasha (twelve) Madhavas. The twelve Madhavas are:
1) Shankha Madhava: Near Jhusi and Chatanaga
2) Chakra Madhava: In Arail
3) Gada Madhava: In a temple in Naini
4) Padma Madhava: As a stone in Vikar Devariya
5) Ananta Madhava: Near Akshaya Vat
6) Bindu Madhava: No image. Near Draupadi Ghat
7) Manohar Madhava: In Draveshwarnath Temple
8) Asi Madhava: Near Nag Vasuki Temple
9) Sankashta Hara Madhava: In Jhusi near Hamsa Tirtha and at the base of Sandhya Vat
10) Adi Beni Madhava: In the form of water in Triveni Sangam
11) Adi Madhava: Arail
12) Sri Beni Madhava: In Daraganj

7. Akshaya Vata (Vishnu and Maheshwara): Prayaga is the eternal abode of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. According to Matsya Purana and Padma Purana, Lord Maheshwara lives in Prayaga in the form of Akshaya Vata. Lord Maheshwara with trident in hand always protects the Akshaya Vata. During the time of dissolution, the Rudras do not destroy the Akshaya Vata. "Akshaya" means eternal or indestructible. So Akshaya Vata is the eternal banyan tree.

8. Tirthas: The Matsya Purana and Padma Purana lists many Tirthas in Prayaga. They are:
1) Triveni Sangama the main Tirtha on the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and hidden Saraswati
2) Samudra Kupa on the eastern side of river Ganga near Pratishthana
3) Hamsaprapatana Tirtha on the eastern side of river Ganga and north of Pratishthana
4) Urvashi Tirtha
5) Kotitirtha
6) Dashashwamedha Tirtha near Bhogavati and north of Vasuki
7) Manasa Tirtha on the northern bank of river Ganga
8) Rinamochana Tirtha south of Prayaga on the northern bank of river Ganga
9) Agni Tirtha on the southern bank of river Yamuna
10) Naraka Tirtha or Haravara Tirtha of Dharmaraja on the western bank of river Yamuna
11) Niranjana Tirtha or Viraja Tirtha of Aditya on the northern bank of river Yamuna
12) Bhogavati Tirtha which is the the (Yagna) Vedi of Prajapati where the Vedas and Yagnas assume embodied forms

○ Spiritual Activities to perform in Prayaga: Matsya Purana and Padma Purana tells about innumerable benefits a person derives by performing spiritual activities at the Tirthas in Prayaga. The spiritual activities are summarized below:
1. Bathing at the Triveni Sangama (confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and hidden Saraswati)
2. Offering oblations to the Pitrs and Devas
3. Performing Dana (Charity with Shraddha)
4. Fasting
5. Performing Vratas
6. Performing Tapas
7. Atoning sins
8. Listening to the greatness of Prayaga
9. Sprinkling holy waters of the Tirthas
10. Remembering Prayaga while dying (at any place)
11. Dying in Prayaga

The Matsya Purana and Padma Purana points out that the merits of the spiritual activities in Prayaga may confer heaven to a person. After decline of the merit the person falls from heaven but is born as a renown person on earth with comforts. In that life he again remembers Prayaga, goes there and increases his merit. In this way his journey towards moksha continues.

○ Activities to avoid in Prayaga: The Matsya Purana and Padma Purana tells a pilgrim to desist from two things which decreases his merit:
1. Pilgrims should not accept charities in Prayaga
2. Pilgrims should not use vehicles but should perform the pilgrimage of Prayaga on foot

9. Shakti Peetha: Prayaga is a Shakti Peetha identified with the Prayaga Shakti Peetha mentioned in the Peetha Nirnaya Tantra. At Prayaga the Anguli Vrinda (Group of Fingers) of Devi had fallen. The Devi there is known as Lalitha and the Bhairava is called Bhavah.

10. Sri Rama visiting Bharadwaja Ashrama at Prayaga: According to Valmiki Ramayana, during the forest exile Sri Rama crossed river Ganga at Sringaverapura and reached the land of Vatsa. Spending the night under a big tree Sri Rama walked towards Prayaga at the confluence of rivers Ganga and Yamuna. At Prayaga Sri Rama visited the hermitage of sage Bharadwaja. Sri Rama enquired about a suitable place to stay in the forest. Sage Bharadwaja told him about Chitrakoota mountain which is at a distance of dasha kroshas (interpreted as sixty miles) from there. The sage then described the beauty and holiness of that mountain. Sri Rama spent the night in the hermitage of the sage. Next morning Sri Rama along with Lakshmana and Devi Sita took leave of the sage and started for Chitrakoota by crossing river Yamuna. Sage Bharadwaja guided them about the route to take to reach Chitrakoota.

11. Pandavas visiting Prayaga: During their forest exile the Pandavas visited Prayaga.

12. Place of Kumbha Mela: Prayaga is one of the four places where Kumbha Mela is held (Prayaga, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik).

• Location: Prayaga is located in the Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

Bharatavarsha - The Land of Gods and Sages:

1. Stotras
2. Scriptures
3. Pilgrimages
4. Festivals
5. Saints: Ramakrishna - Vivekananda - Ramana
6. Sadhana
7. Sanskrit
8. Nature