Sūta said:
1-5. O you of good vows, I have thus described the holy places, the bodies of Viṣṇu. A man becomes liberated by contact with any one of these. To hear about the holy places is blessed; to resort to the holy places is blessed. In Kaliyuga, there is no other means for destroying the heap of sins. He who everyday says, ‘I will stay at a holy place; I will bathe at a holy place’, goes to the highest principle. By his merely talking about the holy places his sins perish. O you of best vows, the holy places resorted to by the blessed ones are indeed blessed. By resorting to the holy place only, Nārāyaṇa, the author of the world is worshipped. There is no higher place than the holy places.
6-11. Men should always without fail worship a brāhmaṇa, tulasī (-plant), aśvattha, collection of holy places, and the greatest lord Viṣṇu. O best sages, the seniors look upon worshipping the brāhmaṇas especially as superior to bathing at all the sacred places. Therefore, a wise man should everyday resort to the auspicious feet of a brāhmaṇa, which are full of all sacred places. They are superior to holy places. One should circumambulate aśvattha (tree), tulasī (plant) and cows. Obtaining the fruit of (visiting) all holy places he is honoured in Viṣṇu’s world. Therefore, a man should destroy (the fruits of) his evil deeds by resorting to a holy place. Otherwise he goes to hell and becomes calm only after exhausting (the fruits of) his acts. Sinners live in hell. A meritorious person obtains (i.e. goes to) heaven. Therefore, a wise man should resort to an auspicious, holy place.
The sages said:
12-13. O you of a good vow, we have heard about the holy places along with their greatness. Now we desire to hear the distinguishing features of Prayāga. O Sūta, since you formerly described Prayāga in brief, (now) we desire to hear about it in detail. O Sūta, please describe it to us.
Sūta said:
14-30. O illustrious ones of good vows, you have well asked about Prayāga. I shall gladly give you a description of Prayāga, which was formerly narrated by Mārkaṇḍeya to the son of Pāṇḍu. When the Bhārata (war) was over, and Pṛthā’s son (i.e. Yudhiṣṭhira) had obtained the kingdom, for some time, king Yudhiṣṭhira, Kuntī’s son, was tormented by the grief (i.e. the bereavement) of his (cousin-) brothers, and thought again and again: ‘King Duryodhana was the lord of eleven divisions of the army. All those (Kauravas), having frequently tormented us, are dead. (We) the five Pāṇḍavas, having resorted to Vāsudeva (i.e. Kṛṣṇa), have survived. (How did we kill) Droṇa, Bhīṣma, very mighty Karṇa, and king Duryodhana with his brothers and sons? All the kings, thinking themselves to be brave, have been killed. What is the use of the pleasures or of life without the kingdom? Alas, (what a misery)!’ Thinking likethis the king was distressed. Motionless and devoid of energy he remained with his face a little bent down. When the king regained consciousness, he repeatedly thought: ‘Which course or vow should I practice? or which sacred place—bathing where a man goes to the world of Viṣṇu (should I resort to) by which I shall be free from the blemish due to the great sin (of killing my kinsmen)? How shall I ask Kṛṣṇa who got the great thing done? How shall I ask Dhṛtarāṣṭra whose hundred sons are killed? How shall I ask Vyāsa whose family has met with destruction?’ In this way Dharma’s son Yudhiṣṭhira was distressed. All the (other) Pāṇḍavas wept due to being distressed by the grief of their brother. The noble ones who had resorted to the Pāṇḍavas and who had gathered there also (wept). Kuntī, Draupadī and others that had gathered there, fell on the ground on all sides and wept. Mārkaṇḍa was at Vārāṇasī. He came to know that Yudhiṣṭhira was distressed, weeping and very unhappy. In a very short time Mārkaṇḍa of great penance reached Hastināpura, and stood at the gate of the royal palace. The doorkeeper too, having seen him, quickly reported (his arrival) to the king. “The sage Mārkaṇḍa, desiring to see you, stands at the gate.” The son of Dharma (i.e. Yudhiṣṭhira) quickly came to the door, and eagerly said:
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
31-33a. Welcome to you, O you highly intelligent one. Welcome to you, O great sage. Today my existence is fruitful. Today my family is purified. O great sage, when you are seen today, my dead ancestors are gratified.
Having seated him on the throne, the noble Yudhiṣṭhira honoured that sage with (giving water for) washing his feet, for purifying himself, and by offering worship to him.
33b-34. Then Mārkaṇḍa said to him: “O lord, I am honoured by you. O king, tell me quickly why you hastened. Tell me why you are distressed.”
Yudhiṣṭhira said:
35. O great sage, knowing what occurred to us for (securing) the kingdom the holy one has come here.
Mārkaṇdeya said:
36-38. O king, of mighty arms, hear. Where Dharma (i.e. righteousness) is well-settled there no sin is seen in the case of a wise man resorting to fighting on the battlefield, especially in the case of a kṣatriya (fighting) in accordance with his duty? Bearing this in mind, you should not think (that you have committed) a sin.
Then king Yudhiṣṭhira, saluting the sage by (bowing down) his head (said): “O sage, I am asking you who always (directly) see the three times. Tell me in brief (that) by which I shall be free from the blemish.”
Mārkaṇḍeya said:
39-40. O illustrious king listen, since you ask me. Thus Sāṃkhya, Yoga, and the sacred places have been narrated; O lord, again the holy brāhmaṇas have formerly declared that going to Prayāga is best for men doing righteous deeds.