Proyaga Prayaga : formed by prefix pra & root yaga (yajña), Prayāga is situated on an inland peninsula, though since a long time Prayāga has been touched only by the Yamunā (or Jumnā) flowing here into the Gungā, for many Yugas the ancient-most river of the region, the Saraswati (its subterranean traces are now scientifically established), too merged here with the Gungā, making it a Triveṇi Saṇgam a particularly sacred phenomenon. The name Prayāga derives from was the sacred spot chosen for a great yajña. Hence, it is believed, even at the times of the aeonic Pralayas, Prayāga remains an Akshaya kshetra (an undiminishing land). After receiving the four Vedas that had been lost, Prajāpati performed a huge Yajna here; hence, Prayāga is also called ‘Prajāpati kshetra’. Of the five Yajñyavedis (shallow mud or brick structures in which the sacred Fire is lit), namely, Kurukshetra, Gaya, Virāj, Pūshkara & Prayāga, Prayāga is the madhyavedi, the central vedi. Prayāga is also associated with the great Churning of the Ocean of Life by the divine & anti-divine forces to obtain immortalising Amritam (Nectar). Finally, the ceremony of Pinda-dān can be made at Prayāga as well as Benares, Gaya, & Siddhpur Pātaṇ. Due to its great strategic position Prayāga fell prey in 1193 to Mohammad Ghori & the sultans who succeeded until Akbar captured it in 1575, & actuated by goodwill renamed it Illahabad which subsequent proprietors corrected to Allahabad. And thus the site for great Yajñas has become an altar to Allah.
... was virtue incarnate), accompanied by Guha, Laksmana and Sīta, sent the charioteer back to Ayodhya. Going from forest to forest, and crossing rivers of deep water, they saw the sage Bharadwaja at Prayaga and, dismissing Guha there, later on reached Citrakuta according to the instructions of Bharadwaja and, erecting a lovely cottage, the three sojourned happily there sporting in the woods like gods... Kubera, the god of riches), accompanied by his relations (Sīta and Laksmana) and friends (Vibhīsana, Sugnva and others). (86) Reaching the her mitage of the sage Bharadwaja (in the vicinity of Prayaga), Srī Rama of unfailing prowess despatched Hanuman (in advance) to the presence of Bharata (in order to apprise him of his safe return lest he should be taken unawares). (87) Narrating past history ...
... to the barbarian and been denounced as unclean and uninhabitable to our race, while the deity has passed to that other mysterious underground stream which joins Ganges and Yamouna in their tryst at Proyaga. Are there not here sufficient features of poetical promise, sufficient materials of beauty for the artist to weave into immortal visions? I would gladly think that there are, that I am not cheating ...
... this forest university, the study of every available branch of learning was cultivated. In the Ramayana (vi, 126; ii,90-2), we have an interesting description of the hermitage of Rishi Bharadwaja at Prayaga. This hermitage was one of the biggest of the times. The Ashram was equipped with stalls to accomodate the royal elephants and horses; there were mansions and palaces and gateways. A separate royal ...
... is a Saraswati who is the goddess of speech; in the Veda also there seems to be an ancient river Saraswati, although this stream is placed by Vedic scholars in the Panjab and not in the vicinity of Prayaga and Ayodhya. Were these two deities,—for every river and indeed every natural object was to the Vedic Rishis a divine being,—the same goddess Saraswati? Sayana accepts, even in this passage, their ...
... forest university, the study of every available branch of learning was cultivated. In the Ramayana (vi,126; ii, 90-2), we have an interesting description of the hermitage of Rishi Bharadwaja at Prayaga. This hermitage was one of the biggest of the times. The Ashram was equipped with stalls to accommodate the royal elephants and horses; there were mansions and palaces and gateways. A separate royal ...
... After them the next great dynasty known in history is that of the Imperial Guptas. The Purānas 1 mention it thus: "(Kings) of the Gupta race will, enjoy these territories: namely, along the Ganges, Prayaga, Sake-ta and the Magadhas." As more than one Gupta is involved and as we know for certain that at least in the time of the second in the line - Samudragupta - the empire was much wider than indicated ...
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