Linga Purana

इदं गुह्यतमं क्षेत्रं सदा वाराणसी मम सर्वेषामेव जन्तूनां हेतुर्मोक्षस्य सर्वदा

This most secret field, Vārāṇasī, is always mine; it is ever the cause of liberation for all beings.

अस्मिन्सिद्धाः सदा देवि मदीयं व्रतमास्थिताः नानालिङ्गधरा नित्यं मम लोकाभिकाङ्क्षिणः

Here, O goddess, those who have perfected themselves, ever established in my vow, bearing various emblems, always desiring my world, abide.

अभ्यस्यन्ति परं योगं युक्तात्मानो जितेन्द्रियाः नानावृक्षसमाकीर्णे नानाविहगशोभिते

They practice supreme yoga here, their minds united, their senses conquered, in a place filled with many trees and adorned with various birds.

कमलोत्पलपुष्पाढ्यैः सरोभिः समलंकृते अप्सरोगणगन्धर्वैः सदा संसेविते शुभे

Adorned with lakes rich in lotuses and water-lilies, ever served by hosts of apsarases and gandharvas, this auspicious place shines.

रोचते मे सदा वासो येन कार्येण तच्छृणु मन्मना मम भक्तश् च मयि नित्यार्पितक्रियः

I always delight to dwell here; hear the reason for this: my mind is set here, and my devotee, ever offering his actions to me, abides here.

यथा मोक्षमवाप्नोति अन्यत्र न तथा क्वचित् कामं ह्यत्र मृतो देवि जन्तुर्मोक्षाय कल्पते

Nowhere else, O goddess, does one attain liberation as here; indeed, one who dies here, even by desire, is destined for liberation.

एतन्मम पुरं दिव्यं गुह्याद्गुह्यतमं महत् ब्रह्मादयो विजानन्ति ये च सिद्धा मुमुक्षवः

This is my divine city, most secret among secrets, great indeed; Brahmā and others know it, as do the perfected ones and those seeking liberation.

अतः परमिदं क्षेत्रं परा चेयं गतिर्मम विमुक्तं न मया यस्मान् मोक्ष्यते वा कदाचन

Therefore, this field is supreme, and this is my highest goal; it is called Avimukta, for I never abandon it, nor do I ever release it.

मम क्षेत्रमिदं तस्माद् अविमुक्तमिति स्मृतम् नैमिषे च कुरुक्षेत्रे गङ्गाद्वारे च पुष्करे

Therefore, this is my field, known as Avimukta; not in Naimisha, Kurukshetra, Gangadvara, or Pushkara—

स्नानात्संसेवनाद्वापि न मोक्षः प्राप्यते यतः इह सम्प्राप्यते येन तत एतद्विशिष्यते

Because by bathing or serving in those places, liberation is not attained; but here, by what is attained, this place surpasses them.

प्रयागे वा भवेन्मोक्ष इह वा मत्परिग्रहात् प्रयागादपि तीर्थाग्र्याद् अविमुक्तमिदं शुभम्

Liberation may be obtained at Prayāga or here by my acceptance; yet, even above Prayāga, the foremost of sacred fords, this auspicious Avimukta excels.

धर्मस्योपनिषत् सत्यं मोक्षस्योपनिषच् छमः क्षेत्रतीर्थोपनिषदं न विदुर्बुधसत्तमाः

Truth is the Upaniṣad of dharma; tranquility is the Upaniṣad of liberation; but the best of the wise do not know the Upaniṣad of this sacred field and ford.

कामं भुञ्जन् स्वपन् क्रीडन् कुर्वन् हि विविधाः क्रियाः अविमुक्ते त्यजेत्प्राणान् जन्तुर्मोक्षाय कल्पते

Whether enjoying, sleeping, playing, or performing various actions, if a being gives up life at Avimukta, he is destined for liberation.

कृत्वा पापसहस्राणि पिशाचत्वं वरं नृणाम् न तु शक्रसहस्रत्वं स्वर्गे काशीपुरीं विना

Even after committing thousands of sins, it is better for men to become a ghost than to attain the lordship of a thousand Indras in heaven without Kāśī city.

तस्मात्संसेवनीयं हि अविमुक्तं हि मुक्तये जैगीषव्यः परां सिद्धिं गतो यत्र महातपाः

Therefore, Avimukta must indeed be served for liberation; here the great ascetic Jaigīṣavya attained supreme accomplishment.

अस्य क्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्याद् भक्त्या च मम भावितः जैगीषव्यगुहा श्रेष्ठा योगिनां स्थानमिष्यते

Because of the greatness of this field and devotion to me, the cave of Jaigīṣavya is considered the best among yogins, the desired place.

ध्यायन्तस्तत्र मां नित्यं योगाग्निर्दीप्यते भृशम् कैवल्यं परमं याति देवानामपि दुर्लभम्

There, constantly meditating on me, the fire of yoga blazes intensely; one attains the highest liberation, rare even for the gods.

अव्यक्तलिङ्गैर्मुनिभिः सर्वसिद्धान्तवेदिभिः इह सम्प्राप्यते मोक्षो दुर्लभो ऽन्यत्र कर्हिचित्

Here, liberation is attained by sages who know all doctrines, through subtle signs of the linga; elsewhere, it is rarely achieved.

तेभ्यश्चाहं प्रवक्ष्यामि योगैश्वर्यमनुत्तमम् आत्मनश्चैव सायुज्यम् ईप्सितं स्थानमेव च

To them, I shall declare the supreme power of yoga, union with the Self, and the very place that is desired.

कुबेरो ऽत्र मम क्षेत्रे मयि सर्वार्पितक्रियः क्षेत्रसंसेवनादेव गणेशत्वमवाप ह

Here, in my domain, Kubera, having dedicated all his actions to me, attained lordship over the hosts simply by serving this place.

संवर्तो भविता यश् च सो ऽपि भक्तो ममैव तु इहैवाराध्य मां देवि सिद्धिं यास्यत्यनुत्तमाम्

And Samvarta, who will be, is also my devotee; by worshipping me here, O goddess, he too will attain unsurpassed accomplishment.

पराशरसुतौ योगी ऋषिर्व्यासो महातपाः मम भक्तो भविष्यश् च वेदसंस्थाप्रवर्तकः

The yogi Vyasa, son of Parashara, a great ascetic, will also be my devotee and the promoter of the established Vedas.

रंस्यते सो ऽपि पद्माक्षि क्षेत्रे ऽस्मिन्मुनिपुङ्गवः ब्रह्मा देवर्षिभिः सार्द्धं विष्णुर्वापि दिवाकरः

He too, O lotus-eyed one, will delight in this sacred place, that foremost of sages, along with Brahma, the divine seers, Vishnu, or even the Sun.

देवराजस्तथा शक्रो ये ऽपि चान्ये दिवौकसः उपासते महात्मानः सर्वे मामिह सुव्रते

The king of the gods, Shakra, and all other dwellers of heaven—these great souls, O virtuous one, all worship me here.

अन्ये ऽपि योगिनो दिव्याश् छन्नरूपा महात्मनः अनन्यमनसो भूत्वा मामिहोपासते सदा

Other divine yogis, of concealed forms and great souls, always worship me here, having become single-minded.

विषयासक्तचित्तो ऽपि त्यक्तधर्मरतिर्नरः इह क्षेत्रे मृतः सो ऽपि संसारे न पुनर्भवेत्

Even a man whose mind is attached to sense objects, who has abandoned delight in righteousness—if he dies in this place, he is not reborn in the cycle of existence.

ये पुनर्निर्ममा धीराः सत्त्वस्था विजितेन्द्रियाः व्रतिनश् च निरारम्भाः सर्वे ते मयि भाविताः

But those who are steadfast, free from possessiveness, established in purity, self-controlled, devoted to vows, and without undertakings—all of them are absorbed in me.

देवदेवं समासाद्य धीमन्तः संगवर्जिताः गता इह परं मोक्षं प्रसादान्मम सुव्रते

Having approached the God of gods, those wise ones, free from attachment, attain here the highest liberation by my grace, O virtuous one.

जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु यं न योगी समाप्नुयात् तमिहैव परं मोक्षं प्रसादान्मम सुव्रते

That supreme liberation, which a yogi does not attain even in thousands of lifetimes, is attained here by my grace, O virtuous one.