अत्यन्तदुर्ल्लभा नॄणां भक्तिर्द्धर्मप्रवक्तरि
Devotion to the proclaimer of dharma is exceedingly rare among men.
मूलोद्भवां भक्तियुतो मनुष्यो धृत्वा शिरस्येति पदं च विष्णोः
A man, endowed with devotion, taking the root-born on his head, attains the abode of Vishnu.
वाञ्च्छत्यपि च यो ह्येवं सो ऽपि विष्णुपदं व्रजेत्
Even one who merely desires in this way also attains the abode of Vishnu.
न शक्यते विष्णुनापि किमन्यैर्बहुभाषितैः
Not even Vishnu is able—what then can others do with many words?
यतो वै नरकं यान्ति गङ्गानात्रि स्थिते ऽपि हि
For indeed, people go to hell even while staying at the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna.
तथा तुलस्या भक्तिश्च हरिकीर्तिप्रवक्तरि
Likewise, devotion to Tulasi and to the one who proclaims the glories of Hari—
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Freed from all sins, he attains the world of Vishnu.
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः सूर्यलोकं समेति हि
Freed from all sins, he indeed reaches the world of the Sun.
मेषतौलिमृगाकर्षु पावयत्यखिलं जगत्
The Aries, Taurus, and Capricorn transits purify the entire world.
तुङ्गभद्रा च कावेरी कालिंन्दी बाहुदा तथा
Tungabhadra, Kaveri, Kalindi, and Bahuda as well—
एवमादिषु तीर्थेषु गङ्गा मुख्यतमा स्मृता
Among such sacred places, the Ganga is remembered as the foremost.
तथेयं व्यापिनी गङ्गा सर्वपापप्रणाशिनी
In the same way, this all-pervading Ganga destroys all sins.
पुनाति पावनीत्येषा न कथं सेव्यते नृभिः
She purifies; she is the purifier—why then is she not served by people?
वाराणसीति विख्यातं सर्वदेवनिषेवितम्
Varanasi is renowned, attended by all the gods.
इह श्रुतिमतां पुंसां काशी याभ्यां श्रुतासकृत्
Here, for those who have heard the scriptures, Kashi has been repeatedly praised.
निर्धूतसर्वपापास्ते शिवलोकं व्रजन्ति वै
Having shaken off all sins, they indeed go to the world of Shiva.
बहुपातकपूर्णो ऽपि पदं गच्छत्यनामयम्
Even one filled with many sins attains the state free from affliction.
सो ऽपि पापविनिर्मुक्तः शैवं पदमवान्पुयात्
He too, freed from sin, may attain the Shaiva state.
पृथिव्यामेकराडू भूत्वा काशीं प्राप्य च मुक्तिभाक्
Having become the sole sovereign on earth, and having reached Kashi, one obtains liberation.
नामापि गृह्णातां काश्याश्चतुर्वर्गो न दूरतः
For those who even utter the name of Kashi, the four aims of life are not far off.
यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण नरा यान्ति परां गतिम्
By merely seeing him, people attain the highest state.
पुनाति स्त्रानपानाद्यैर्नयन्तीन्द्रपुरं जगत्
He purifies the world through acts such as bathing and drinking, leading it to Indra's city.
लिङ्गरुपीं कथं तस्या महिमा परिकीर्त्यते
How can the greatness of his form as the liṅga be fully described?
ईषदप्यन्तरं नास्ति भेदकृच्चानयोः कुधीः
There is not even the slightest difference between the two; only those of misguided intellect create division.
अज्ञानसागरे मग्ना भेदं कुर्वन्ति पापिनः
Those immersed in the ocean of ignorance, sinful ones, make distinctions.
युगान्ते निगदन्त्येतद्रुद्ररुपधरो हरिः
At the end of the age, Hari is said to assume the form of Rudra.
ब्रह्मरुपेण सृजति प्रान्तेः हयेतत्रयं हरः
He creates with the form of Brahma; at the end, Hara dissolves these three.
भेदं करोति सो ऽभ्येति नरकं भृशदारुणम्
One who creates division comes to a most terrible hell.
स याति परंमानन्दं शास्त्राणामेष विष्वयः
He attains supreme bliss; this is the essence of the scriptures.
नित्यं संनिहितस्तत्र लिङ्गरुपी जनार्दनः
Janardana is always present there in the form of the liṅga.