एककालं निराहारो लोकान्संवसते शुभान् । षष्ठकालोपवासेन मासमुष्य महालये
Fasting for one period, he dwells among auspicious worlds; by fasting every sixth period during the great dissolution, he attains a month there.
तीर्णस्तारयते जंतून्दशपूर्वान्दशापरान् । दृष्ट्वा माहेश्वरं पुण्यं परं सुरनमस्कृतम्
Having crossed over, he leads across creatures—ten before and ten after; seeing the holy place of Maheśvara, revered by the gods, brings supreme merit.
कृतार्थः सर्वकृत्येषु न शोचेन्मरणं क्वचित् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा विंद्याद्बहुसुवर्णकम्
One who has fulfilled all duties should never grieve for death at any time; with a mind purified from all sins, he attains abundant gold.
अथ वेतसिकां गच्छेत्पितामहनिषेविताम् । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति गतिं च परमां व्रजेत्
Then, going to Vetasikā, honored by the grandsire, he obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice and attains the highest state.
अथ सुंदरिकां तीर्थं प्राप्य सिद्धनिषेविताम् । रूपस्य भागी भवति दृष्टमेतत्पुरातनैः
Then, reaching the holy place Sundarikā, frequented by the perfected beings, he becomes endowed with beauty, as seen by the ancients.
ततो ब्राह्मणिकां गत्वा ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः । पद्मवर्णेन यानेन ब्रह्मलोकं प्रपद्यते
Then, going to Brāhmaṇikā, the devoted celibate, with concentrated mind, attains the world of Brahmā in a vehicle shining like a lotus.
ततश्च नैमिषं गच्छेत्पुण्यं द्विजनिषेवितम् । तत्र नित्यं निवसति ब्रह्मा देवगणैः सह
After that, he should go to Naimiṣa, the holy place frequented by twice-born sages; there, Brahmā always resides with the hosts of gods.
नैमिषं प्रार्थयानस्य पापस्यार्द्धं प्रणश्यति । प्रविष्टमानस्तु नरः सर्वपापात्प्रमुच्यते
For one who desires Naimiṣa, half of his sin is destroyed; but the man who enters it is freed from all sin.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच- वाराणस्याश्च माहात्म्यं संक्षेपात्कथितं त्वया । विस्तरेण मुने ब्रूहि तदा प्रीणाति मे मनः
Yudhiṣṭhira said: You have briefly described the greatness of Vārāṇasī; O sage, tell it to me in detail, for my mind is delighted by it.
नारद उवाच-। अत्रेतिहासं वक्ष्यामि वाराणस्या गुणाश्रयम् । यस्य श्रवणमात्रेण मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया
Nārada said: Here I shall recount an ancient tale, the source of Vārāṇasī's virtues; by merely hearing it, one is freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin.
मेरुशृंगे पुरा देवमीशानं त्रिपुरद्विषम् । देवासनगता देवी महादेवमपृच्छत
Once, on the summit of Mount Meru, the goddess, seated among the gods, asked the great god Īśāna, the enemy of Tripura.
देव्युवाच-। देवदेव महादेव भक्तानामार्तिनाशन । कथं त्वां पुरुषो देवमचिरादेव पश्यति
The goddess said: O god of gods, great god, destroyer of devotees' suffering, how may a person quickly see you, the divine lord?
सांख्ययोगस्तथा ध्यानं कर्मयोगोऽथ वैदिकः । आयासबहुला लोके यानि चान्यानि शंकर
Sāṃkhya-yoga, meditation, karma-yoga, and Vedic rites—these and other practices, O Śaṃkara, are full of effort in the world.
येन विश्रांतचित्तानां योगिनां कर्मिणामपि । दृश्यो हि भगवान्सूक्ष्मः सर्वेषामथ देहिनाम्
By what means does the subtle Lord become visible to all embodied beings, even to yogis and those engaged in action whose minds are at rest?
एतद्गुह्यतमं ज्ञानं गूढं शक्रादिसेवितम् । हिताय सर्वभूतानां ब्रूहि कामाग्निनाशनम्
This most secret knowledge, hidden and served by Indra and others, destroys the fire of desire; speak it for the welfare of all beings.
ईश्वर उवाच-। अवाच्यमत्र विज्ञानं ज्ञानमज्ञैर्बहिष्कृतम् । वक्ष्ये तव यथातत्त्वं यदुक्तं परमर्षिभिः
Īśvara said: This knowledge here is not to be spoken; it is rejected by the ignorant. Yet I shall tell you the truth, as declared by the supreme sages.
परं गुह्यतमं क्षेत्रं मम वाराणसी पुरी । सर्वेषामेव भूतानां संसारार्णवतारिणी
My city Vārāṇasī is the most secret field, the highest; it carries all beings across the ocean of worldly existence.
तत्र भक्त्या महादेवि मदीयं व्रतमास्थिताः । निवसंति महात्मानः परं नियममास्थिताः
There, O great goddess, those who reside with devotion, observing my vow and supreme discipline, are great souls.
उत्तमं सर्वतीर्थानां स्थानानामुत्तमं च यत् । ज्ञानानामुत्तमं ज्ञानमविमुक्तं परं मम
Of all sacred waters, this is the highest; of all places, this is the best; of all knowledge, this is the supreme knowledge—Avimukta is my ultimate.
स्थानांतर पवित्राणि तीर्थान्यायतनानि च । श्मशानसंस्थितान्येव दिव्यभूमिगतानि च
Other places, sanctified grounds, sacred waters, and shrines—even those situated in cremation grounds or on divine lands—
भूर्लोके नैव संलग्नमंतरिक्षे ममालयम् । अमुक्तास्तत्र पश्यंति मुक्ताः पश्यंति चेतसा
In the world of mortals, my abode is not attached, nor is it in the sky; those not liberated see only there, but the liberated perceive with their mind.
श्मशानमेतद्विख्यातमविमुक्तमिति श्रुतम् । कालो भूत्वा जगदिदं संहराम्यत्र सुंदरि
This cremation ground is renowned as Avimukta, so it is heard; O beautiful one, becoming Time itself, I dissolve the world here.
देवीदं सर्वगुह्यानां स्थानं प्रियतरं मम । मद्भक्तास्तत्र गच्छंति मामेव प्रविशंति च
O Goddess, this is the most beloved place of all secrets to me; my devotees who go there enter into me alone.
दत्तं जप्तं हुतं चेष्टं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् । ध्यानमध्ययनं ज्ञानं सर्वं तत्राक्षयं भवेत्
Whatever is given, recited, offered, performed, or endured as austerity; all meditation, study, and knowledge—there, all becomes imperishable.
जन्मांतरसहस्रेषु यत्पापं पूर्वसंचितम् । अविमुक्तं प्रविष्टस्य तत्सर्वं व्रजति क्षयम्
All sin accumulated over thousands of past lives is destroyed for one who enters Avimukta.
ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्च वर्णसंकराः । स्त्रियो म्लेच्छाश्च ये चान्ये संकीर्णाः पापयोनयः
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, those of mixed castes, women, foreigners, and others born of sinful wombs—
कीटाः पिपीलिकाश्चैव ये चान्ये मृगपक्षिणः । कालेन निधनं प्राप्ता अविमुक्ते वरानने
Insects, ants, and all other animals and birds, O beautiful-faced one, who meet their end in Avimukta—
चंद्रार्द्धमौलयस्त्र्यक्षा महावृषभवाहनाः । शिवे मम पुरे देवि जायंते तत्र मानवाः
Those born in my city, O Goddess—where the moon-crested, three-eyed, great bull-riding Shiva dwells—are human beings.
नाविमुक्ते मृतः कश्चिन्नरकं याति किल्बिषी । ईश्वरानुगृहीता हि सर्वे यांति परां गतिम्
No one who dies in Avimukta, even if sinful, goes to hell; all are graced by the Lord and attain the highest state.
मोक्षं सुदुर्ल्लभं मत्वा संसारं चातिभीषणम् । अश्मना चरणौ भंक्त्वा वाराणस्यां वसेन्नरः
Considering liberation extremely rare and worldly existence most dreadful, a man should break his legs with a stone and dwell in Varanasi.