यत्र योगस्तथा ज्ञानं मुक्तिरेकेन जन्मना । अविमुक्तं तदासाद्य नान्यदिच्छेत्तपोवनम्
Where yoga, knowledge, and liberation are gained in a single birth—having reached Avimukta, one should not desire any other sacred grove.
यतो मयाऽविमुक्तं तदविमुक्तं ततः स्मृतम् । तदेव गुह्यं गुह्यानामेतद्विज्ञानमुच्यते
Because by me it is called Avimukta, therefore it is remembered as Avimukta; this alone is the most secret of secrets, this is called true knowledge.
ज्ञानाज्ञानाभिनिष्ठानां परमानंदमिच्छताम् । यागतिर्विदिता सुभ्रूः साविमुक्ते मृतस्य तु
For those established in knowledge or ignorance, desiring the highest bliss, O fair-browed one, the destination for the dead is known to be in Avimukta.
यानि चैवाविमुक्तस्य देहे दृष्टानि कृत्स्नशः । पुरी वाराणसी तेभ्यः स्थानेभ्योऽप्यधिका शुभा
And whatever auspicious marks are seen on the body of one from Avimukta, the city of Varanasi is superior to all those places.
यत्र साक्षान्महादेवो देहांते स्वयमीश्वरः । व्याचष्टे तारकं ब्रह्म तत्रैव ह्यविमुक्तये
Where the great Lord, Mahadeva, himself at the end of the body, reveals the Taraka Brahman, there indeed is Avimukta.
यत्तत्परतरं तत्त्वमविमुक्तमिति श्रुतम् । एकेन जन्मना देवि वाराणस्यां तदाप्नुयात्
That supreme principle, known as Avimukta, is heard of; one who is born even once in Varanasi, O Devi, attains it.
भ्रूमध्ये नाभिमध्ये च हृदये चैव मूर्धनि । यथाविमुक्तमादित्ये वाराणस्यां व्यवस्थितम्
In the center of the brows, the navel, the heart, and the crown of the head, as Avimukta is established in the sun, so it is fixed in Varanasi.
वरणायास्तथा चास्या मध्ये वाराणसीपुरी । तत्रैव संस्थितं तत्त्वं नित्यमेवंविमुक्तकम्
In the middle of the rivers Varana and Asi lies the city of Varanasi; there the principle is eternally established as Avimukta.
वाराणस्याः परं स्थानं न भूतं न भविष्यति । यत्र नारायणो देवो महादेवो दिवीश्वरः
There is no place superior to Varanasi, nor has there been nor will there be; where Narayana, the god, and Mahadeva, the lord of heaven, reside.
तत्र देवाः सगंधर्वाः सयक्षोरगराक्षसाः । उपासते यं सततं देवदेवः पितामहः
There, the gods, along with Gandharvas, Yakshas, Nagas, and Rakshasas, constantly worship the Lord of gods, Pitamaha.
महापातकिनो देवि ये तेभ्यः पापकृत्तमाः । वाराणसीं समासाद्य ते यांति परमां गतिम्
O Devi, even those who are great sinners, and worse than the worst of the sinful, upon reaching Varanasi, attain the highest state.
तस्मान्मुमुक्षुर्नियतो वसेद्वै मरणांतकम् । वाराणस्यां महादेवाज्ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा विमुच्यते
Therefore, one desiring liberation should dwell there with discipline until death; having obtained knowledge from Mahadeva in Varanasi, one is freed.
किंतु विघ्ना भविष्यंति पापोपहतचेतसः । ततो नैवाचरेत्पापं कायेन मनसा गिरा
However, obstacles will arise for those whose minds are afflicted by sin; therefore, one should not commit sin by body, mind, or speech.
एतद्रहस्यं देवानां पुराणानां च सुव्रते । अविमुक्ताश्रयं ज्ञानं न कश्चिद्वेत्ति तत्त्वतः
This is the secret of the gods and the ancient texts, O virtuous one; the knowledge resting in Avimukta, no one truly knows.
नारद उवाच-। देवतानामृषीणां च शृण्वतां परमेष्ठिनाम् । देवदेवेन कथितं सर्वपापविनाशनम्
Narada said: While the gods, sages, and supreme beings listened, the Lord of gods spoke of the destruction of all sins.
यथानारायणः श्रेष्ठो देवानां पुरुषोत्तमः । यथेश्वराणां गिरिशः स्थानानामेतदुत्तमम्
Just as Narayana is the highest among the gods, the supreme person, so Girisha is the greatest among lords; this place is the highest of all.
यैः समाराधितो रुद्रः पूर्वस्मिन्नेकजन्मनि । ते विदंति परं क्षेत्रमविमुक्तं शिवालयम्
Those who have worshipped Rudra in a previous birth, they know the supreme field, Avimukta, the abode of Shiva.
कलिकल्मषसंभूता येषामुपहृता मतिः । न तेषां वेदितुं शक्यं स्थानं तत्परमेष्ठिनः
Those whose minds are corrupted by the impurities of Kali, for them it is not possible to know that place of the Supreme Lord.
ये स्मरंति सदा कालं वदंति च पुरीमिमाम् । तेषां विनश्यति क्षिप्रमिहामुत्र च पातकम्
Those who always remember time and speak of this city, their sins are quickly destroyed here and hereafter.
यानि चेह प्रकुर्वंति पातकानि कृतालयाः । नाशयेत्तानि सर्वाणि देवः कालतनुः शिवः
Whatever sins are committed here by those who have made it their abode, Shiva, the god with the form of time, destroys them all.
आगच्छेत्तदिदं स्थानं सेवितं मोक्षकांक्षिभिः । मृतानां च पुनर्जन्म न भूयो भवसागरे
One who comes to this place, served by those seeking liberation, for the dead, there is no rebirth again in the ocean of existence.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वाराणस्यां वसेन्नरः । योगी वाप्यथवायोगी पापी वा पुण्यकृत्तमः
Therefore, with all effort, a man should dwell in Varanasi; whether a yogi or not, a sinner or the most virtuous.
न लोकवचनात्पित्रोर्न चैव गुरुवादतः । मतिर्न क्रमणीया स्यादविमुक्तगतिं प्रति
One should not let one's mind be swayed toward a path that does not lead to liberation, whether by the words of the world, of one's parents, or even of one's teacher.
नारद उवाच- तत्रेदं विमलं लिगमोंकारंनाम शोभनम् । यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः
Nārada said: There is here a pure emblem, called the auspicious Oṃkāra; by merely remembering it, one is freed from all sins.
एतत्परतरं ज्ञानं पंचायतनमुत्तमम् । सेवितं मुनिर्भिर्नित्यं वाराणस्यां विमोक्षणम्
This is the highest knowledge, the supreme fivefold altar, always served by sages in Vārāṇasī as the means of liberation.
तत्र साक्षान्महादेवः पंचायतनविग्रहः । रमते भगवान्रुद्रो जंतूनामपवर्गदः
There, Mahādeva himself, in the form of the fivefold altar, abides; the blessed Rudra, giver of liberation to beings, delights there.
एतत्पाशुपतं ज्ञानं पंचायतनमुच्यते । तदेतद्विमलं लिगमोंकारं समुपस्थितम्
This knowledge of Paśupati is called the fivefold altar; and this pure emblem, the Oṃkāra, is present there.
शांत्यतीता तथा शांतिर्विद्या चैवापरा वरा । प्रतिष्ठा च निवृत्तिश्च पंचात्मं लिंगमैश्वरम्
Transcendence of peace, peace itself, knowledge, supreme and other, establishment, and withdrawal—these five are the divine essence of the liṅga.
पंचानामपि लिंगानां ब्रह्मादीनां समाश्रयम् । ॐकारबोधकं लिंगं पंचायतनमुच्यते
Of the five liṅgas, which are the abodes of Brahmā and the others, the liṅga that reveals Oṃkāra is called the fivefold altar.
संस्मरेदीश्वरं लिंगं पंचायतनमव्ययम् । देहांते परमं ज्योतिरानंदं विशते बुधः
One should remember the Lord as the liṅga, the imperishable fivefold altar; at the end of the body, the wise one enters the supreme light, bliss.