38 - Glory of the holy Rņamocana 

Markandeya continued: 

1. In the month of Magha (Jan-Feb.), sixty-six thousand Tirthas go over to the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna.2

2. Verbatim the same as Mt. P. 107.7. Cf. Mbh. Anuśhäsana 25.36-37.

2. A man who takes bath in Prayaga for three days in the month of Māgha, attains that fruit which a religious gift of a hundred thousand cows yields.3 

3. Cf. Pd. P. I. 44.8. 

3-4. If a person who has the full complement of the five sense organs, who has no deficiency in any limb and who has no ailment performs the rite of Karişhagni4 (i.e. immolation of the body in the cowdung fire) at the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna, O ruler of the Earth, he is honoured in the heavenly world as many thousand years as there are pores of hairs in his body. 

4. For suicide by self-immolation to cow-dung fire, this text is similar to Mt. P. 107.9, NP. 11.63.154, P. P. I. 44.3. Vide Prof. K.C. Chattopadhyaya's Paper on 'Suicide at Prayaga' (Journal U.P. Hist. Society X. 65ff). The practice became outdated even before the advent of British as Kalivarjya, vide HD. III. pp. 939, 958-59. 

5. After enjoying extensive pleasures, he falls off from heaven and becomes the lord of Jambūdvīpa. He attains the same Tirtha once again. 

6. If (in order to cast off his body) a person enters water at the world famous confluence (at Prayaga), he becomes liberated from all sins, as the moon devoured by Rahu becomes completely brilliant after the eclipse. 

7. He attains Somaloka (region of the moon) and he rejoices with Soma (the moon) for sixty-six thousand years. 

8. From heaven he rejoices in Indra's world resorted to by sages and Gandharvas. O leader of kings, falling off from that place, he is born in a prosperous family. 

9. If a man stands topsyturvy with the legs up and the head below and drinks water from the current of Ganga he is honoured in the heavenly world for seven thousand years. 

10. O leader of kings, fallen off from that place, the man becomes the performer of the rite of Agnihotra. Enjoying extensive pleasures, he resorts to that Tirtha once again. 

11-12. Listen to the benefit attained by one who severs his limbs and offers pieces to birds and who is devoured by the birds. He is honoured in the Soma-loka for a hundred thousand years. 

13-14a. Falling off from that place, he becomes a pious king. He will be endowed with all good qualities and handsomeness. He will be a great scholar and of pleasing words. After making charitable gifts and enjoying pleasures, he resorts to that Tirtha once again. 

14b-16. On the northern bank of Yamunā and to the South of Prayaga, there is the greatest Tirtha as known Ruņapramochana. If he spends a night there and takes a bath, he becomes relieved of the burden of debts. He attains heavenly world. He becomes free from debts permanently.1 

1. For Runamochana Tirtha Cf. Pd. P. I. 44.20.