कथं त्वां पुरुषो देवमचिरादेव पश्यति
How does a man see you, O god, in a short time?
आयासबहुला लोके यानि चान्यानि शङ्कर
O Śaṅkara, what other arduous tasks exist in the world?
दृश्यो हि भगवान् सूक्ष्मः सर्वेषामथ देहिनाम्
The Blessed Lord, though subtle, is indeed perceivable by all embodied beings.
हिताय सर्वभक्तानां ब्रूहि कामाङ्गनाशन
For the welfare of all devotees, speak, O destroyer of desire.
वक्ष्ये तव यथा तत्त्वं यदुक्तं परमर्षिभिः
I shall declare to you the true principle, as spoken by the supreme sages.
सर्वेषामेव भूतानां संसारार्णवतारिणी
It is the deliverer from the ocean of worldly existence for all beings.
निवसन्ति महात्मानः परं नियममास्थिताः
Great souls, established in supreme discipline, dwell there.
ज्ञानानामुत्तमं ज्ञानमविमुक्तं परं मम
Among all forms of knowledge, the highest is the imperishable, which is mine.
श्मशानसंस्थितान्येव दिव्यभूमिगतानि च
Only those who dwell in cremation grounds or have reached the divine realm [perceive this].
अयुक्तास्तन्न पश्यन्ति युक्ताः पश्यन्ति चेतसा
The unyoked do not see that, but the yoked perceive it with their mind.
कालो भूत्वा जगदिदं संहराम्यत्र सुन्दरि
Becoming Time, O beautiful one, I withdraw this world here.
मद्भक्तास्तत्र गच्छन्ति मामेव प्रविशन्ति ते
My devotees go there; they enter into me alone.
ध्यानमध्ययनं ज्ञानं सर्वं तत्राक्षयं भवेत्
Meditation, study, and knowledge—all these become imperishable there.
अविमुक्तं प्रविष्टस्य तत्सर्वं व्रजति क्षयम्
For one who has entered Avimukta, all that is destroyed.
स्त्रियो म्लेच्छाश्च ये चान्ये संकीर्णाः पापयोनयः
Women, foreigners, and others of mixed or sinful birth,
कालेन निधनं प्राप्ता अविमुक्ते वरानने
Who have met their end in Avimukta, O beautiful-faced one,
शिवे मम पुरे देवि जायन्ते तत्र मानवाः
Are born as humans there, in my city, O goddess, which is Shiva’s.
ईश्वरानुगृहीता हि सर्वे यान्ति परां गतिम्
All, being favored by the Lord, attain the supreme state.
अश्मना चरणौ हत्वा वाराणस्यां वसेन्नरः
Even one who, having struck his feet with a stone, dwells in Varanasi,
यत्र तत्र विपन्नस्य गतिः संसारमोक्षणी
Wherever he meets his end, his course is liberation from worldly existence.
अप्रबुद्धा न पश्यन्ति मम मायाविमोहिताः
Those who are not awakened, deluded by my māyā, do not see.
विण्मूत्ररेतसां मध्ये ते वसन्ति पुनः पुनः
Among excrement, urine, and semen, they dwell again and again.
स याति परमं स्थानं यत्र गत्वा न शोचति
He attains the supreme state, having reached which one does not grieve.
यां प्राप्य कृतकृत्यः स्यादिति मन्यन्ति पण्डताः
Having attained that, one is accomplished—so the wise believe.
प्राप्यते गतिरुत्कृष्टा याविमुक्ते तु लभ्यते
That highest state is attained, but only in Avimukta is it found.
भेषजं परमं तेषामविमुक्तं विदुर्बुधाः
The wise know Avimukta as their supreme remedy.
अविमुक्तं परं तत्त्वमविमुक्तं परं शिवम्
Avimukta is the highest truth; Avimukta is the supreme auspiciousness.
तेषां तत्परमं ज्ञानं ददाम्यन्ते परं पदम्
To them I grant that supreme knowledge, and at the end, the highest state.
केदारं भद्रकर्णं च गया पुष्करमेव च
Kedāra, Bhadrakarṇa, Gayā, and also Puṣkara—
प्रभासं विजयेशानं गोकर्णं भद्रकर्णकम्
Prabhāsa, Vijayeśāna, Gokarṇa, and Bhadrakarṇaka—