Linga Purana

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.

श्रीपर्वतमनुप्राप्य देव्या देवेश्वरो हरः क्षेत्राणि दर्शयामास सर्वभूतपतिर्भवः

Having reached Śrīparvata with the goddess, Hara, the Lord of gods and master of all beings, showed her the sacred fields.

कुण्डीप्रभं च परमं दिव्यं वैश्रवणेश्वरम् आशालिङ्गं च देवेशं दिव्यं यच्च बिलेश्वरम्

He showed the supreme, divine Kuṇḍīprabha, Vaiśravaṇeśvara, Āśāliṅga, the divine Lord of gods, and also the divine Bileśvara.

रामेश्वरं च परमं विष्णुना यत्प्रतिष्ठितम् दक्षिणद्वारपार्श्वे तु कुण्डलेश्वरमीश्वरम्

He showed the supreme Rāmeśvara, established by Viṣṇu, and at the southern gate's side, Kuṇḍaleśvara, the Lord.

पूर्वद्वारसमीपस्थं त्रिपुरान्तकमुत्तमम् विवृद्धं गिरिणा सार्धं देवदेवनमस्कृतम्

Near the eastern gate is the excellent Tripurāntaka, grown together with the mountain, worshipped by the Lord of gods.

मध्यमेश्वरमित्युक्तं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् अमरेश्वरं च वरदं देवैः पूर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्

There is also Madhyameśvara, renowned in the three worlds, and Amareśvara, the bestower of boons, formerly established by the gods.

गोचर्मेश्वरम् ईशानं तथेन्द्रेश्वरम् अद्भुतम् कर्मेश्वरं च विपुलं कार्यार्थं ब्रह्मणा कृतम्

He showed Gocarmeśvara, Īśāna, the wondrous Indreśvara, and the great Karmeśvara, created by Brahmā for the sake of action.

श्रीमत्सिद्धवटं चैव सदावासो ममाव्यये अजेन निर्मितं दिव्यं साक्षादजबिलं शुभम्

He also showed the glorious Siddhavaṭa, my eternal abode, the divine Ajabila, directly created by the unborn one, auspicious.

तत्रैव पादुके दिव्ये मदीये च बिलेश्वरे तत्र शृङ्गाटकाकारं शृङ्गाटाचलमध्यमे

There, at the divine Pāduke and at my own Bileśvara, in the middle of Śṛṅgāṭācala shaped like a pinnacle—

शृङ्गाटकेश्वरं नाम श्रीदेव्या तु प्रतिष्ठितम् मल्लिकार्जुनकं चैव मम वासमिदं शुभम्

Śṛṅgāṭakeśvara by name, established by the blessed goddess, and also Mallikārjunaka, this auspicious abode of mine.

रजेश्वरं च पर्याये रजसा सुप्रतिष्ठितम् गजेश्वरं च वैशाखं कपोतेश्वरमव्ययम्

He showed Rajeśvara, established in turn with dust, Gajeśvara in Vaiśākha, and the imperishable Kapoteśvara.

कोटीश्वरं महातीर्थं रुद्रकोटिगणैः पुरा सेवितं देवि पश्याद्य सर्वस्मादधिकं शुभम्

He showed Koṭīśvara, the great pilgrimage site, once served by hosts of Rudras—see it today, O goddess, most auspicious and surpassing all.

द्विदेवकुलसंज्ञं च ब्रह्मणा दक्षिणे शुभम् उत्तरे स्थापितं चैव विष्णुना चैव शैलजम्

He showed the one called Dvidevakula, auspicious on the southern side, established by Brahmā, and on the northern side, the mountain established by Viṣṇu.

महाप्रमाणलिङ्गं च मया पूर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् पश्चिमे पर्वते पश्य ब्रह्मेश्वरमलेश्वरम्

He showed the great liṅga of vast measure, formerly established by me; on the western mountain, see Brahmeśvara and Maleśvara.

अलंकृतं त्वया ब्रह्मन् पुरस्तान् मुनिभिः सह इत्युक्त्वा तद्गृहे तिष्ठद् अलंगृहमिति स्मृतम्

Adorned by you, O Brahman, in front together with sages—having said this, he remained in that house, which is known as Alaṃgṛha.

तत्रापि तीर्थं तीर्थज्ञे व्योमलिङ्गं च पश्य मे कदम्बेश्वरम् एतद्धि स्कन्देनैव प्रतिष्ठितम्

There also, O knower of holy places, see the sacred tīrtha and my Vyomaliṅga, and Kadambeśvara, which was established by Skanda himself.

गोमण्डलेश्वरं चैव नन्दाद्यैः सुप्रतिष्ठितम् देवैः सर्वैस्तु शक्राद्यैः स्थापितानि वरानने

He showed Gomaṇḍaleśvara, well established by Nandā and others, and all the gods led by Śakra established these, O beautiful-faced one.

श्रीमद्देवह्रदप्रान्ते स्थानानीमानि पश्य मे तथा हारपुरे देवि तव हारे निपातिते

O Goddess, behold these sacred places at the edge of the illustrious Devahrada; likewise, in Hārapura, when your necklace fell.

त्वया हिताय जगतां हारकुण्डमिदं कृतम् शिवरुद्रपुरे चैव तत्कायोपरि सुव्रते

For the welfare of the worlds, you created this necklace-tank; and in the city of Śiva and Rudra, O virtuous one, it was placed upon that body.

तत्र पित्रा सुशैलेन स्थापितं त्वचलेश्वरम् अलंकृतं मया ब्रह्म पुरस्तान् मुनिभिः सह

There, by his father Suśaila, the Lord of the Mountain was established, adorned by me, O Brahmā, together with the sages in front.

चण्डिकेश्वरकं देवि चण्डिकेशा तवात्मजा चण्डिकानिर्मितं स्थानम् अंबिकातीर्थम् उत्तमम्

O Goddess, the shrine of Caṇḍikeśvara, and Caṇḍikeśā, your daughter, and the place established by Caṇḍikā, the supreme Ambikā-tīrtha.