Linga Purana

सर्वपापहरं दिव्यं पुरा चैव प्रकाशितम् नीललोहितमूर्तिस्थं पुनश्चक्रे वपुः शुभम्

That divine form, destroyer of all sins, which had been revealed before, again took on an auspicious body, abiding in the blue-red form.

तं दृष्ट्वा शैलजा प्राह हृष्टसर्वतनूरुहा स्तुवती चरणौ नत्वा क इमे भगवन्निति

Seeing him, the daughter of the mountain, her whole body thrilled with joy, praised him, bowed at his feet, and asked, 'O Lord, who are these?'

तामुवाच सुरश्रेष्ठस् तदा देवीं गिरीन्द्रजाम् मदीयं व्रतमाश्रित्य भक्तिमद्भिर् द्विजोत्तमैः

Then the best of gods spoke to the goddess, daughter of the mountain: 'O beautiful one, by following my vow, these devoted and excellent twice-born ones—'

यैर्यैर्योगा इहाभ्यस्तास् तेषाम् एकेन जन्मना क्षेत्रस्यास्य प्रभावेन भक्त्या च मम भामिनि

'By whatever yogas have been practiced here by them, in a single birth, through the power of this sacred place and by devotion to me, O lovely one—'

अनुग्रहो मया ह्येवं क्रियते मूर्तितः स्वयम् तस्माद् एतन् महत् क्षेत्रं ब्रह्माद्यैः सेवितं तथा

'Thus, by my own form, I grant favor; therefore, this great sacred place, served by Brahma and others—'

श्रुतिमद्भिश् च विप्रेन्द्रैः संसिद्धैश् च तपस्विभिः प्रतिमासं तथाष्टम्यां प्रतिमासं चतुर्दशीम्

'By learned brahmins, by accomplished ascetics, every month on the eighth and fourteenth days, it is worshipped.'

उभयोः पक्षयोर्देवि वाराणस्यामुपास्यते शशिभानूपरागे च कार्तिक्यां च विशेषतः

'On both fortnights, O goddess, in Varanasi it is worshipped, especially during the eclipses of the moon and sun, and in the month of Kartika.'

सर्वपर्वसु पुण्येषु विषुवेष्वयनेषु च पृथिव्यां सर्वतीर्थानि वाराणस्यां तु जाह्नवीम्

'At all sacred festivals, solstices, and equinoxes, all the holy places on earth are found at Varanasi, and the Jahnavi there—'

उत्तरप्रवहां पुण्यां मम मौलिविनिःसृताम् पितुस्ते गिरिराजस्य शुभां हिमवतः सुताम्

'The sacred river flowing north, issuing from my crest, and your father's, O daughter of the Himalaya, the auspicious daughter of the snowy mountain.'

पुण्यस्थानस्थितां पुण्यां पुण्यदिक्प्रवहां सदा भजन्ते सर्वतो ऽभ्येत्य ये ताञ्छृणु वरानने

O beautiful-faced one, listen to those who always worship the sacred, meritorious place, established in a holy region, and who come there from all directions.

संनिहत्य कुरुक्षेत्रं सार्धं तीर्थशतैस् तथा पुष्करं निमिषं चैव प्रयागं च पृथूदकम्

Kurukshetra, together with hundreds of sacred fords, as well as Pushkara, Nimiṣa, Prayaga, and Prithudaka, are all gathered there.

द्रुमक्षेत्रं कुरुक्षेत्रं नैमिषं तीर्थसंयुतम् क्षेत्राणि सर्वतो देवि देवता ऋषयस् तथा

Drumakshetra, Kurukshetra, Naimisha with its sacred fords, and all such fields, O goddess, along with the deities and sages, are present there.

संध्या च ऋतवश्चैव सर्वा नद्यः सरांसि च समुद्राः सप्त चैवात्र देवतीर्थानि कृत्स्नशः

The twilights, the seasons, all rivers, all lakes, and the seven oceans, as well as all the divine fords, are entirely present there.

भागीरथीं समेष्यन्ति सर्वपर्वसु सुव्रते अविमुक्तेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा दृष्ट्वा चैव त्रिविष्टपम्

O virtuous one, at every festival, the Bhagirathi comes together there, beholding Avimukteshvara and also beholding heaven itself.

कालभैरवमासाद्य धूतपापानि सर्वशः भवन्ति हि सुरेशानि सर्वपर्वसु पर्वसु

Having approached Kalabhairava, all sins are completely destroyed; at every festival, the lords of the gods become pure.

पृथिव्यां यानि पुण्यानि महान्त्यायतनानि च प्रविशन्ति सदाभ्येत्य पुण्यं पर्वसु पर्वसु अविमुक्तं क्षेत्रवरं महापापनिबर्हणम्

All the great and holy shrines on earth always enter Avimukta, the supreme field, at every festival, which removes great sins.

केदारे चैव यल्लिङ्गं यच्च लिङ्गं महालये

And the linga at Kedara, and the linga at Mahalaya,

मध्यमेश्वरसंज्ञं च तथा पाशुपतेश्वरम् शङ्कुकर्णेश्वरं चैव गोकर्णौ च तथा ह्युभौ

The one called Madhyameshvara, likewise Pashupateshvara, Shankukarṇeshvara, and both Gokarna shrines,

द्रुमचण्डेश्वरं नाम भद्रेश्वरम् अनुत्तमम् स्थानेश्वरं तथैकाग्रं कालेश्वरम् अजेश्वरम्

Drumachandeshvara by name, the excellent Bhadreshvara, Sthanesvara, Ekaagra, Kaleshvara, and Ajeshvara,

भैरवेश्वरम् ईशानं तथौंकारकसंज्ञितम् अमरेशं महाकालं ज्योतिषं भस्मगात्रकम्

Bhairaveshvara, Ishana, the one called Aumkara, Amareshvara, Mahakala, Jyotisha, and Bhasmagatraka,

यानि चान्यानि पुण्यानि स्थानानि मम भूतले अष्टषष्टिसमाख्यानि रूढान्यन्यानि कृत्स्नशः

And all other sacred places of mine on earth, known as sixty-eight in number, and others established in their entirety,

तानि सर्वाण्यशेषाणि वाराणस्यां विशन्ति माम् सर्वपर्वसु पुण्येषु गुह्यं चैतदुदाहृतम्

All of these, without exception, enter into me at Varanasi during every holy festival; this secret has thus been declared.

तेनेह लभते जन्तुर् मृतो दिव्यामृतं पदम् स्नातस्य चैव गङ्गायां दृष्टेन च मया शुभे

Therefore, here a being attains the divine immortal state upon death, having bathed in the Ganga and having seen me, O auspicious one.

सर्वयज्ञफलैस्तुल्यम् इष्टैः शतसहस्रशः सद्य एव समाप्नोति किं ततः परमाद्भुतम्

One immediately obtains the fruit of all sacrifices, equal to hundreds of thousands of desired offerings; what could be more wonderful than this?

सर्वायतनमुख्यानि दिवि भूमौ गिरिष्व् अपि परात्परतरं देवी बुध्यस्वेति मयोदितम्

All the foremost shrines in heaven, on earth, and on mountains, O goddess, know that this is the highest of the high, as I have declared.

अविशब्देन पापस्तु वेदोक्तः कथ्यते द्विजैः तेन मुक्तं मया जुष्टम् अविमुक्तम् अत उच्यते

The word 'Avi' is said by the twice-born, as prescribed in the Veda, to mean 'free from sin'; thus, because I have accepted it as pure, it is called Avimukta.

इत्युक्त्वा भगवान् रुद्रः सर्वलोकमहेश्वरः सुदृष्टं कुरु देवेशि अविमुक्तं गृहं मम

Having spoken thus, the blessed Rudra, Lord of all worlds, said: 'O goddess of the gods, make my house of Avimukta well seen.'

इत्युक्त्वा भगवान् देवस् तया सार्धम् उमापतिः दर्शयामास भगवान् श्रीपर्वतमनुत्तमम्

Having spoken thus, the blessed Lord, the consort of Umā, together with her, revealed the most excellent Śrīparvata.

अविमुक्तेश्वरे नित्यम् अवसच्च सदा तया सर्वगत्वाच्च सर्वत्वात् सर्वात्मा सदसन्मयः

He always resided there with her at Avimukteśvara, and because he pervades all, being the Self of all, he is composed of both existence and non-existence.