God of Fire in the Agni Purana pronounces that the confluence of the rivers Jamuna and the Ganges in Allahabad are known as Prayag. The Hindu lord further states that the place is known for its greatness and sanctity. He opines that a man attains every thing worth having in this life, and attains salvation after death, by resorting to Prayag. The gods like Lord Brahma, Vishnu, the Gandharvas, the saints and sages together with the seas and sacred streams always congregate at Prayag. The three cavities for the fire god (Agnikunda) are to be found in Prayag in the middle of which the Ganges flows. The river Yamuna renowned in the three worlds, rushes into the river Ganges at Prayag, carrying before her all the sacred pools and their sanctity.
Significance of Prayag
While discussing the importance of Prayag, Agni Purana narrates that the holy Tirthas known as the Kamvala and the Ashvatara, are at Prayag, and the Tirtha of Bhogavati, which is also at Prayag, is deemed as the Vedi or the platform seat of the god of creation. It is believed that there the Vedas and sacrifices are incarnate in living forms and the man who sings the praise or recites the name of this hallowed confluence, or carries the clay thereof, is sure to be purged off of all sin. A belief runs regarding Prayag which says a Sraddha ceremony, or the rite of repeating the Mantras, or an act of charity done and performed, at Prayag, puts forth immortal fruit.
Lord Agni has advised an individual who has once resolved to make his end at Prayag at the expiry of his natural term of life, should not change his mind through the persuasions of his relations, nor even if a precept is quoted from the Vedas to invalidate the notion that he would make a laudable end otherwise. It is said that ten thousand, and six million sacred pools and sanctuaries lie hidden in the confluence of the two hallowed rivers below Prayag. The sacred pool known as the Bhogabati which is sacred to the mythical serpent Vasuki together with the sacred Himalayan cascade known as the Hansaprapatana jointly flow as an undercurrent in the purifying waters of the hallowed junction of Prayag, and a man attains the same merit by an ablution therein for three consecutive days, as he would have otherwise got by making a gift of a million of cows.
Fire God narrates that a man who doles out charities at Prayag goes to heaven after death, and becomes a monarch in his next existence. Finally, the Lord concludes saying that the man who departs this life either at the foot of the memorable Vata tree or at the confluence of the rivers at Prayag goes to the region of Lord Vishnu.
