यदि पापो यदि शठो यदि वा धार्मिको नरः । वाराणसीं समासाद्य पुनाति सकलं कुलम्
Whether sinful, deceitful, or righteous, a man who attains Varanasi purifies his entire lineage.
वाराणस्यां येऽर्चयंति महादेवं स्तुवंति वै । सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तास्ते विज्ञेया गणेश्वराः
Those who worship Mahadeva and praise him in Varanasi should be known as lords among Shiva’s hosts, completely freed from all sin.
अन्यत्र योगज्ञानाभ्यां संन्यासादथवान्यतः । प्राप्यते तत्परं स्थानं सहस्रेणैव जन्मनाम्
Elsewhere, the supreme state is attained through yoga, knowledge, renunciation, or other means, but only after a thousand births.
ये भक्ता देवदेवेशि वाराणस्यां वसंति वै । ते विंदंति परं मोक्षमेकेनैव तु जन्मना
But those devotees, O Lady of the gods, who dwell in Varanasi, attain the highest liberation in a single birth.
यत्र योगस्तथा ज्ञानं मुक्तिरेकेन जन्मना । अविमुक्तं तदासाद्य नान्यदिच्छेत्तपोवनम्
Where yoga, knowledge, and liberation are gained in a single birth—having reached that Avimukta, one desires no other sacred forest.
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, and this knowledge is so declared.
ज्ञानाज्ञानाभिनिष्ठानां परमानंदमिच्छताम् । यागतिर्विदिता सुभ्रूः साविमुक्ते मृतस्य तु
For those established in knowledge or ignorance, who desire supreme bliss, the path is known, O fair-browed one, for one who dies in Avimukta.
यानि चैवाविमुक्तस्य देहे दृष्टानि कृत्स्नशः । पुरी वाराणसी तेभ्यः स्थानेभ्योऽप्यधिका शुभा
Whatever auspicious marks are seen on the body of one in Avimukta, the city of Varanasi is superior and more auspicious than all those places.
यत्र साक्षान्महादेवो देहांते स्वयमीश्वरः । व्याचष्टे तारकं ब्रह्म तत्रैव ह्यविमुक्तये
There, at the end of the body, Mahadeva himself directly reveals the liberating Brahman, precisely for the sake of Avimukti.
यत्तत्परतरं तत्त्वमविमुक्तमिति श्रुतम् । एकेन जन्मना देवि वाराणस्यां तदाप्नुयात्
That which is the highest truth is called Avimukta; O goddess, one attains it in Varanasi in a single birth.
भ्रूमध्ये नाभिमध्ये च हृदये चैव मूर्धनि । यथाविमुक्तमादित्ये वाराणस्यां व्यवस्थितम्
As Avimukta is established in the center of the brows, the navel, the heart, and the head, so too is it present in the sun in Varanasi.
वरणायास्तथा चास्या मध्ये वाराणसीपुरी । तत्रैव संस्थितं तत्त्वं नित्यमेवंविमुक्तकम्
In the midst of the Varana and Asi rivers lies the city of Varanasi; there, the truth is eternally established as Avimukta.
वाराणस्याः परं स्थानं न भूतं न भविष्यति । यत्र नारायणो देवो महादेवो दिवीश्वरः
There has never been, nor will there be, a place higher than Varanasi, where Narayana, Mahadeva, and the Lord of heaven dwell.
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, the Grandfather.
महापातकिनो देवि ये तेभ्यः पापकृत्तमाः । वाराणसीं समासाद्य ते यांति परमां गतिम्
O Goddess, even those who are the most sinful among great sinners, upon reaching Varanasi, attain the highest state.
तस्मान्मुमुक्षुर्नियतो वसेद्वै मरणांतकम् । वाराणस्यां महादेवाज्ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा विमुच्यते
Therefore, one who seeks liberation should dwell there with discipline until death; having obtained knowledge from Mahadeva in Varanasi, one is set free.
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 Puranas, O virtuous one; no one truly knows the knowledge that abides in Avimukta.
नारद उवाच-। देवतानामृषीणां च शृण्वतां परमेष्ठिनाम् । देवदेवेन कथितं सर्वपापविनाशनम्
Narada said: While the gods, sages, and exalted beings were listening, the god of gods spoke this, which destroys all sins.
यथानारायणः श्रेष्ठो देवानां पुरुषोत्तमः । यथेश्वराणां गिरिशः स्थानानामेतदुत्तमम्
Just as Narayana is the highest among the gods, the supreme person, so among holy places, this is the foremost, as Girisha is among lords.
यैः समाराधितो रुद्रः पूर्वस्मिन्नेकजन्मनि । ते विदंति परं क्षेत्रमविमुक्तं शिवालयम्
Those who 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 have been corrupted by the sins of Kali age are not able to know that place of the Supreme Lord.
ये स्मरंति सदा कालं वदंति च पुरीमिमाम् । तेषां विनश्यति क्षिप्रमिहामुत्र च पातकम्
Those who always remember the time and speak of this city, for them, sin is quickly destroyed here and hereafter.
यानि चेह प्रकुर्वंति पातकानि कृतालयाः । नाशयेत्तानि सर्वाणि देवः कालतनुः शिवः
Whatever sins are committed here by those who dwell in this place, Shiva, the god in the form of Time, destroys them all.
आगच्छेत्तदिदं स्थानं सेवितं मोक्षकांक्षिभिः । मृतानां च पुनर्जन्म न भूयो भवसागरे
One who comes to this place, which is served by seekers of liberation, does not take birth again in the ocean of existence after death.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन वाराणस्यां वसेन्नरः । योगी वाप्यथवायोगी पापी वा पुण्यकृत्तमः
Therefore, by every effort, a person should reside in Varanasi—whether a yogi or not, whether sinful or most virtuous.
न लोकवचनात्पित्रोर्न चैव गुरुवादतः । मतिर्न क्रमणीया स्यादविमुक्तगतिं प्रति
One’s mind should not be diverted from the path to Avimukta by the words of people, ancestors, or even teachers.
नारद उवाच- तत्रेदं विमलं लिगमोंकारंनाम शोभनम् । यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः
Narada said: There is here the pure linga called Omkara, resplendent, by whose mere remembrance one is freed from all sins.
एतत्परतरं ज्ञानं पंचायतनमुत्तमम् । सेवितं मुनिर्भिर्नित्यं वाराणस्यां विमोक्षणम्
This is the supreme knowledge, the highest fivefold altar, constantly served by sages in Varanasi for liberation.
तत्र साक्षान्महादेवः पंचायतनविग्रहः । रमते भगवान्रुद्रो जंतूनामपवर्गदः
There, Mahadeva himself, in the form of the fivefold altar, abides; the blessed Rudra, giver of liberation to beings, delights there.