यद्वेदवादाभिरता विदेहं सब्रह्मविज्ञानमभेदमेकम् । पश्यंत्यनेकं भवतः स्वरूपं तं ब्रह्मपारं प्रणतोऽस्मि नित्यम्
Those devoted to the teachings of the Vedas, possessing knowledge of Brahman, see your manifold forms as one undivided reality; I ever bow to that supreme Brahman.
यतः प्रधानं पुरुषः पुराणो बिभर्ति तेजः प्रणमंति देवाः । नमामि तं ज्योतिषि सन्निविष्टं कालं बृहंतं भवतः स्वरूपम्
From whom the primordial nature and the ancient person arise, who bears the radiance to whom the gods bow—I bow to that form of yours, vast as time, abiding in light.
व्रजामि नित्यं शरणं गुहेशं स्थाणुं प्रपद्ये गिरिशं पुराणम् । शिवं प्रपद्ये हरिमिंदुमौलिं पिनाकिनं त्वां शरणं व्रजामि
I ever take refuge in Guheśa, the ancient Lord of the mountain, the steadfast one; I take refuge in Śiva, the remover, the moon-crested, the wielder of Pināka—I seek you as refuge.
स्तुत्वैवं शंकुकर्णोऽपि भगवंतं कपर्दिनम् । पपात दंडवद्भूमौ प्रोच्चरन्प्रणवं परम्
Having thus praised the Blessed Kapardin, Śaṅkukarṇa fell to the ground like a staff, reciting the supreme praṇava.
तत्क्षणात्परमं लिंगं प्रादुर्भूतं शिवात्मकम् । ज्ञानमानंदमत्यंतं कोटिज्वालाग्निसन्निभम्
At that very moment, the supreme liṅga appeared, embodying Śiva—knowledge, bliss, and infinity, resembling the blaze of millions of flames.
शंकुकर्णोऽथ मुक्तात्मा तदात्मा सर्वगोऽमलः । निलिल्ये विमले लिंगे तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
Then Śaṅkukarṇa, liberated, his self pure and all-pervading, merged into the spotless liṅga; it was a wondrous sight.
एतद्रहस्यमाख्यातं माहात्म्यं ते कपर्द्दिनः । न कश्चिद्वेत्ति तमसा विद्वानप्यत्र मुह्यति
This secret, this greatness of Kapardin, has been revealed to you; no one knows it—deluded even are the learned, veiled by darkness.
य इमां शृणुयान्नित्यं कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् । त्यक्तपापविशुद्धात्मा रुद्रसामीप्यमाप्नुयात्
Whoever listens daily to this story, which destroys sin, becomes purified from wrongdoing and attains nearness to Rudra.
पठेच्च सततं शुद्धो ब्रह्मपारं महास्तवम् । प्रातर्मध्याह्नसमये स योगं प्राप्नुयात्परम्
And whoever, always pure, recites this great hymn to the Supreme Brahman—morning, noon, and at midday—attains the highest yoga.
नारद उवाच- वाराणस्यां महाराज मध्यमेशं परात्परम् । तस्मिन्स्थाने महादेवो देव्या सह महेश्वरः
Nārada said: O King, in Vārāṇasī is the supreme Madhyameśa; in that place, the great Lord abides with the Goddess.
रमते भगवान्नित्यं रुद्रैश्च परिवारितः । तत्र पूर्वं हृषीकेशो विश्वात्मा देवकीसुतः
The Blessed One always delights there, surrounded by Rudras; there, formerly, Hṛṣīkeśa, the soul of the universe, son of Devakī—
उवास वत्सरं कृष्णः सदा पाशुपतैर्युतः । भस्मोद्धूलितसर्वांगो रुद्राध्ययनतत्परः
Kṛṣṇa, ever accompanied by followers of Paśupati, dwelt for a year, his whole body smeared with ash, devoted to the study of Rudra's lore.
आराधयन्हरिः शंभुं कृत्वा पाशुपतंव्रतम् । तस्य ते बहवः शिष्याः ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः
Hari worshipped Śaṃbhu, having undertaken the vow of Paśupati; many were his disciples, devoted to celibacy.
लब्ध्वा तद्वदनाज्ज्ञानं दृष्टवंतो महेश्वरम् । तस्य देवो महादेवः प्रत्यक्षं नीललोहितः
Having received knowledge from his mouth, they beheld the great Lord; to him, the god Mahādeva, blue and red, appeared directly.
ददौ कृष्णस्य भगवान्वरदो वरमुत्तमम् । येऽर्चयंति च गोविंदं मद्भक्ता विधिपूर्वकम्
The Blessed Lord, bestower of boons, granted Kṛṣṇa the highest boon: 'Those who worship Govinda, my devotees, according to rule—'
तेषां तदैश्वरं ज्ञानमुत्पत्स्यति जगन्मयम् । नमस्योऽर्चयितव्यश्च ध्यातव्यो मत्परैर्जनैः
'To them, divine knowledge will arise, pervading the universe; I am to be worshipped, honored, and meditated upon by my devoted people.'
भविष्यंति न संदेहो मत्प्रसादाद्द्विजातयः । येऽत्र द्रक्ष्यंति देवेशं स्नात्वा देवं पिनाकिनम्
'There is no doubt, by my grace, those twice-born who see the Lord of gods here, after bathing, the god Pinākin—'
ब्रह्महत्यादिकं पापं तेषामाशु विनश्यति । प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यंति ये र्मत्याः पापकर्मरता अपि
'Their sins, even of brahmin-murder and the like, are quickly destroyed; even those attached to sinful deeds, if they give up their lives here—'
ते यांति तत्परं स्थानं नात्र कार्या विचारणा । धन्यास्तु खलु ते विज्ञा मंदाकिन्यां कृतोदकाः
'They attain that supreme state—there is no need for further consideration; truly blessed and wise are those who offer water in the Mandākinī.'
अर्चयित्वा महादेवं मध्यमेश्वरमीश्वरम् । ज्ञानं दानं तपः श्राद्धं पिंडनिर्वपणं त्विह
Having worshipped Mahādeva, the Lord Madhyameśvara, knowledge, charity, austerity, ancestral rites, and the offering of rice-balls here—
एकैकशः कृतं कर्म पुनात्यासप्तमं कुलम् । सन्निहत्यामुपस्पृश्य राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे
Each act performed here purifies up to seven generations; especially when touching the water at the time when the sun is swallowed by Rāhu.
यत्फलं लभते मर्त्त्यस्तस्माद्दशगुणं त्विह । एवमुक्तं महाराज माहात्म्यं मध्यमेश्वरे । यः शृणोति परं भक्त्या स याति परमं पदम्
The fruit a mortal gains here is tenfold that elsewhere; thus, O King, has the greatness of Madhyameśvara been declared—whoever listens with supreme devotion attains the highest state.
इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे स्वर्गखंडे वाराणसीमाहात्म्ये षट्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the thirty-sixth chapter, entitled 'The Greatness of Varanasi,' in the Svarga-khanda of the glorious Padma Purana.
नारद उवाच-। अन्यानि च महाराज तीर्थानि पावनानि तु । वाराणस्यां स्थितानीह संशृणुष्व युधिष्ठिर
Narada said: O great king, listen as I describe to you, Yudhishthira, the other holy and purifying pilgrimage sites that are established here in Varanasi.
प्रयागादधिकं तीर्थं प्रयागं परमं शुभम् । विश्वरूपं तथा तीर्थं तालतीर्थमनुत्तमम्
There is a pilgrimage site superior to Prayaga, the most auspicious Prayaga itself, the Visvarupa tirtha, the peerless Talatirtha as well.
आकाशाख्यं महातीर्थं तीर्थं चैवार्षभं परम् । सुनीलं च महातीर्थं गौरीतीर्थमनुत्तमम्
There is the great Akasha tirtha, the supreme Arshabha tirtha, the great Sunila tirtha, and the matchless Gauri tirtha.
प्राजापत्यं तथा तीर्थं स्वर्गद्वारं तथैव च । जंबुकेश्वरमित्युक्तं धर्माख्यं तीर्थमुत्तमम्
There is the Prajapatya tirtha, the Svargadvāra tirtha, the renowned Jambukeshvara, and the excellent Dharma tirtha.
गयातीर्थं परं तीर्थं तीर्थं चैव महानदी । नारायणपरं तीर्थं वायुतीर्थमनुत्तमम्
There is the supreme Gayatirtha, the tirtha of the great river, the Narayana tirtha, and the unrivaled Vayu tirtha.
ज्ञानतीर्थं परं गुह्यं वाराहं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । यमतीर्थं यथापुण्यं तीर्थं संमूर्तिकं शुभम्
There is the supreme and secret Jnana tirtha, the excellent Varaha tirtha, the meritorious Yama tirtha, and the auspicious Sammurtika tirtha.
अग्नितीर्थं महाराज कलशेश्वरमुत्तमम् । नागतीर्थं सोमतीर्थं सूर्यतीर्थं तथैव च
O great king, there is the Agni tirtha, the excellent Kalasheshvara, the Naga tirtha, Soma tirtha, and likewise the Surya tirtha.