२०४
Šrū Caitanya-caritāmrta
[[Madhya-lilā. Ch. 18
SYNONYMS
soro-kṣetre —to the holy place named Soro-kṣetra;  āge —first, beyond;  yāñā —going;  kari’ gaṅgā-snāna —having taken bath in the Ganges;  sei pathe —that way;  prabhu lañā —taking Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu;  kariye payāna —let us go.
TRANSLATION
“After going to the holy place named Soro-kṣetra, and taking bath in the Ganges, let us take Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that way and go.
TEXT 145
মাঘ-মাজ লাগিল ,  এবে  বদি বাইয়ে ।।
মকক্কে প্রশ্নাগ-স্নান কত দিন পাইক্কো   ॥ ১৪৫ ॥
māgha-māsa lāgila, ebe yadi yāiye makare prayāga-snāna kata dina pāiye
SYNONYMS
māgha-māsa lāgila —the month of Māgha has begun;  ebe —now;  yadi —if;  yāiye —we go;  makare —during the Makara-saṅkrānti;  prayāga-snāna —bathing at Prayāga;  kata dina —for a few days;  pāiye —we shall get.
TRANSLATION
“It is now the beginning of the month of Māgha. If we go to Prayāga at this time, we shall have an opportunity to bathe for a few days during Makara-saṅkrānti.”
PURPORT
Bathing during the month of Māgha at Māgha-melā still takes place. This has been a very old  melā  (assembly) from time immemorial. It is said that the Lord in the form of Mohinī took a bucket of nectar and kept it at Prayāga. Consequently Māgha-melā has been observed, and there is an assembly of holy men there every year. Every twelfth year there is a Kumbha-melā, a great festival, and all the holy men from all over India assemble there. The  brāhmaṇa  wanted to take advantage of the Māgha-melā and bathe there.
Bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā near the fort at Allahabad, Prayāga, is mentioned in revealed scriptures:
* māghe māsi gamiṣyanti gaṅgā-yāmuna-saṅgamam