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.
तत्र देवर्षयः पूर्वं सिद्धाब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा । उपास्य देवमीशानमापुरंतः परं पदम्
There, the divine sages, and also the perfected Brahmarṣis of old, having worshipped the Lord Īśāna, attained the highest state.
मत्स्योदर्यास्तटे पुण्ये स्थानं गुह्यतमं शुभम् । गोचर्ममात्रं राजेंद्र ॐकारेश्वरमुत्तमम्
On the sacred bank of the Matsyodarī, in a most secret and auspicious place, O king, is the supreme Oṃkāreśvara, the size of a cowhide.
कृत्तिवासेश्वरं लिंगं मध्यमेश्वरमुत्तमम् । विश्वेश्वरं तथोंकारंकंदर्पेश्वरमेव च
There are the liṅga of Kṛttivāseśvara, the supreme Madhyameśvara, Viśveśvara, Oṃkāra, and also Kaṃdarpeśvara.
एतानि गुह्यलिंगानि वाराणस्यां युधिष्ठिर । न कश्चिदिह जानाति विना शंभोरनुग्रहात्
These are the secret liṅgas in Vārāṇasī, O Yudhiṣṭhira; no one knows them here except by the grace of Śambhu.
कृत्तिवासेश्वरस्यैव माहात्म्यं शृणु पार्थिव । तस्मिन्स्थाने पुरा दैत्यो हस्ती भूत्वा शिवांतिकम्
Hear, O king, the greatness of Kṛttivāseśvara; in that place, long ago, a demon took the form of an elephant and approached the abode of Śiva.
ब्राह्मणान्हंतुमायातो यत्र नित्यमुपासते । तेषां लिंगान्महादेवः प्रादुरासीत्त्रिलोचनः
He came to kill the Brāhmaṇas who constantly worshipped there; for their sake, Mahādeva, the three-eyed, appeared from their liṅgas.
रक्षणार्थं महादेवो भक्तानां भक्तवत्सलः । हत्वा गजाकृतिं दैत्यं शूलेनावज्ञया हरः
For the protection of his devotees, the compassionate Mahādeva, disregarding the demon in elephant form, slew him with his trident.
वासस्तस्याकरोत्कृत्तिं कृत्तिवासेश्वरस्ततः । तत्र सिद्धिं परां प्राप्ता मुनयो हि युधिष्ठिर
He made the demon's hide his garment; thus he is called Kṛttivāseśvara. There, the sages attained the highest perfection, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
तेनैव च शरीरेण प्राप्तास्तत्परमं पदम् । विद्याविद्येश्वरा रुद्राः शिवा ये च प्रकीर्त्तिताः
With that very body, they attained the supreme state—those Rudras, lords of knowledge and ignorance, and the Śivas who are proclaimed.
कृत्तिवासेश्वरं लिंगं नित्यमाश्रित्य संस्थिताः । ज्ञात्वा कलियुगं घोरमधर्मबहुलं जनाः
Always established by taking refuge in the liṅga of Kṛttivāseśvara, knowing the dreadful Kali age, people full of unrighteousness.