Those who pass away in Vārāṇasī do not meet the same fate as others; they attain a liberation that is the highest, one that remains out of reach for those who die elsewhere. Simply entering this sacred city washes away the sins accumulated over hundreds of lifetimes. The spiritual vows and disciplines that are so rare and difficult elsewhere are found in abundance here, yet even among them, the power of Vārāṇasī stands unique. Consider a man who subsists only on air and chooses to remain in Vārāṇasī—his very presence in this holy city brings purification to all. Freed from every sin, such a person is regarded as a lord among men, shining above hosts of others. The supreme state, which might otherwise require a thousand births to attain, is here granted in a single lifetime. Thus, by reaching Avimukta—the heart of Vārāṇasī—one need not seek out any other hermitage or sacred place. This, truly, is the most secret of all secrets: to know it is to be liberated. O beautiful goddess, the destiny awaiting those who depart from Avimukta is none other than that highest state of being. Among all holy places, Vārāṇasī surpasses them in auspiciousness. It is here, in Avimukta, that the liberating Brahman, known as Taraka, is revealed. With just one birth in Vārāṇasī, O goddess, one attains this supreme state. For the sun named Avimukta is established in this city, and the eternal truth called Avimukta is ever present here. Within this sacred space, Lord Nārāyaṇa and Mahādeva, the lord of all gods, reside together. They constantly worship me, the god of gods and the grandsire. Thus, those who reach Vārāṇasī attain the highest state. Here, by receiving knowledge from Mahādeva, one is set free. After such liberation, no sin is committed again—neither by body, mind, nor speech. Yet, the knowledge that rests within Avimukta is truly known by none. This teaching, imparted by the god to the goddess, destroys all sins. Just as Girisha is supreme among lords, so is this place above all others. Those who reach Avimukta, the supreme field and abode of Shiva, are blessed, though the true nature of that Supreme Lord’s dwelling remains beyond knowing. Yet for them, all sins are swiftly destroyed—both in this life and the next. Shiva himself, as the very embodiment of time, dissolves all their sins. For those who die here, there is no rebirth—they are freed forever from the ocean of existence. It matters not whether one is a yogi or not, sinful or supremely virtuous—the mind, in the end, should turn toward the path of liberation. In days past, the Lord dwelt in Vārāṇasī with his foremost disciples, and from there he journeyed to the great liṅga of Oṃkāra, the bestower of liberation. To the sages of pure minds, he spoke of Oṃkāra’s greatness. Merely remembering this sacred liṅga frees one from all sins. Constantly worshipped by the wise in Vārāṇasī, it grants liberation to all who seek it. The blessed Rudra delights in this place, bestowing release upon beings. The pure liṅga abides in Oṃkāra, and tradition teaches that the liṅga of the Lord is fivefold, representing both foundation and dissolution. The liṅga that reveals Oṃkāra is thus called the fivefold abode—holding within it the secret of ultimate liberation.