PRAYĀGA A sacred place situated at the meeting point of Gaṅgā and Yamunā. He who bathes at this holy spot would get the benefit of doing ten aśvamedhas.
[Śloka 35, Chapter 84, Vana Parva] . It is believed that at Prayāga there is the presence of Brahmā, devatās, dikpālakas (guardians of the quarters), lokapālakas (guardians of the world), Sādhyas (realised souls), Pitṛs (manes), Maharṣis like Sanatkumāra, Aṅgiras, Brahmarṣis, Nāgas, Garuḍa, Siddhas, Sūryadeva and Mahāviṣṇu. There are three fire-pits there. The river Gaṅgā runs through the centre of these pits. The Centre of the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā is believed to be the waist of the world. There is at Prayāga the world-famous Triveṇī confluence. If one bathes at that place one gets the benefit of Aśvamedha and Rājasūya together. The greatness of Prayāga is described thus: Prayāgatīrtha, Pratiṣṭhānatīrtha, Kambalatīrtha, Aśvataratīrtha, and Bhogavatītīrtha are said to be the Yāgavedīs of Prajāpati. At such a Prayāga Vedas and Yajñas live personified. If one praises it or chants its name in songs or smears the mud from it on one's body, one would be absolved of all sins. If one gives away anything in charity at this place or conducts Śrāddha (ceremony of giving offerings to deceased relatives) or does pious mutterings one would get benefits of an imperishable nature. There are about seventy thousand tīrthas in this world, ten thousand of one kind and sixty thousand of another kind. Prayāga has the presence of all these tīrthas and so it is considered as the best of all tīrthas. Here is the Bhogavatītīrtha of Vāsuki and the tīrtha called Haṁsaprapatana. If one bathes in the ponds there for three days together one would get the credit of giving as charity a crore of cows. The three important places are the Gaṅgādvāra, Prayāga and Gaṅgāsāgarasaṅgama. Chapter 211, Agni Purāṇa).