कपालमोचनं तीर्थं तव तत्र भविष्यति। अहं च त्वं स्थितस्तत्र विष्णुश्चापि भविष्यति
There, the holy site Kapālamocana will be for you; I, you, and Viṣṇu will be present there.
दर्शने भवतस्तत्र महापातकिनोपि ये। तेपि भोगान्समश्नंति विशुद्धा भवने मम
There, at your sight, even those who are great sinners enjoy pleasures and become purified in my abode.
वरणापि असीचापि द्वे नद्यौ सुरवल्लभे। अंतराले तयोः क्षेत्रे वध्या न विशति क्वचित्
The two rivers, Varaṇā and Asī, beloved of the gods, flow there; within the field between them, no one destined for death ever enters.
तीर्थानां प्रवरं तीर्थं क्षेत्राणां प्रवरं तव। आदेहपतनाद्ये तु क्षेत्रं सेवंति मानवाः
That is the foremost of holy places, the foremost of fields for you; from the moment of bodily fall, people serve that field.
ते मृता हंसयानेन दिवं यांत्यकुतोभयाः। पंचक्रोशप्रमाणेन क्षेत्रं दत्तं मया तव
Those who die there go to heaven in a swan-chariot, free from all fear; a field five krośas in extent has been given to you by me.
क्षेत्रमध्याद्यदा गंगा गमिष्यति सरित्पतिम्। तदा सा महती पुण्या पुरी रुद्र भविष्यति
When the Gaṅgā will flow to the lord of rivers through the middle of that field, then, O Rudra, that city will become supremely holy.
पुण्या चोदङ्मुखी गंगा प्राची चापि सरस्वती। उदङ्मुखी योजने द्वे गच्छते जाह्नवी नदी
The Gaṅgā, pure and facing north, and Sarasvatī flowing eastward; the Jāhnavī river flows two yojanas northward.
तत्र वै विबुधाः सर्वे मया सह सवासवाः। आगता वासमेष्यंति कपालं तत्र मोचय
There, indeed, all the gods along with me and Indra will come and dwell; there, release the skull.
तस्मिंस्तीर्थे तु ये गत्वा पिण्डदानेन वै पितॄन्। श्राद्धैस्तु प्रीणयिष्यंति तेषां लोकोऽक्षयो दिवि
Those who go to that sacred place and honor their ancestors with offerings of food and rites, their world in heaven is imperishable.
वाराणस्यां महातीर्थे नरः स्नातो विमुच्यते। सप्तजन्मकृतात्पापाद्गमनादेव मुच्यते
A person who bathes at the great sacred site of Varanasi is freed from the sins of seven births; even by visiting, one is liberated.
तत्तीर्थं सर्वतीर्थानामुत्तमं परिकीर्तितम्। त्यजंति तत्र ये प्राणान्प्राणिनः प्रणतास्तव
That sacred place is proclaimed as the highest among all holy sites; those living beings who surrender their lives there, O devoted one, are blessed.
रुद्रत्वं ते समासाद्य मोदंते भवता सह। तत्रापि हि तु यद्दत्तं दानं रुद्र यतात्मना
Having attained the state of Rudra, they rejoice together with you; and whatever gift is given there by one devoted to Rudra yields great reward.
स्यान्महच्च फलं तस्य भविता भावितात्मनः। स्वांगस्फुटित संस्कारं तत्र कुर्वंति ये नराः
For the one of purified mind, the fruit of such action is immense; those who perform their own rites there with clarity and sincerity.
ते रुद्रलोकमासाद्य मोदंते सुखिनः सदा। तत्र पूजा जपो होमः कृतो भवति देहिनां
They attain the realm of Rudra and always dwell in happiness; worship, recitation, and sacrificial offerings performed there by embodied beings are fulfilled.
अनंतफलदः स्वर्गो रुद्रभक्तियुतात्मनः। तत्र दीपप्रदाने तु ज्ञानचक्षुर्भवेन्नरः
Heaven yields endless rewards to those whose hearts are devoted to Rudra; and by offering lamps there, a person attains the eye of wisdom.
अव्यंगं तरुणं सौम्यं रूपवंतं तु गोसुतम्। योङ्कयित्वा मोचयति स याति परमं पदम्
Whoever liberates a flawless, youthful, gentle, and handsome calf, that person attains the supreme state.
पितृभिः सहितो मोक्षं गच्छते नात्र संशयः। अथ किं बहुनोक्तेन यत्तत्र क्रियते नरैः२०० 1.14.
He goes to liberation together with his ancestors; there is no doubt about this. Why speak at length? Whatever is performed there by people—
कर्मधर्मं समुद्दिश्य तदनंतफलं भवेत्। स्वर्गापवर्गयोर्हेतुस्तद्धि तीर्थम्मतं भुवि
When actions are performed according to duty, their result is endless; that sacred place is regarded as the cause of heaven and liberation on earth.
स्नानाज्जपात्तथा होमादनंतफलसाधनम्। गत्वा वाराणसीतीर्थं भक्त्या रुद्रपरायणाः
Bathing, recitation, and sacrificial offerings are means to endless rewards; those devoted to Rudra who go to the sacred site of Varanasi with faith—
ये तत्र पंचतां प्राप्ता भक्तास्ते नात्र संशयः। वसवः पितरो ज्ञेया रुद्राश्चैव पितामहाः
Those devotees who pass away there, there is no doubt; they are to be known as Vasus, ancestors, Rudras, and grandfathers.
प्रपितामहास्तथादित्या इत्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः। त्रिविधः पिंडदानाय विधिरुक्तो मयानघ
Great-grandfathers and Adityas likewise; this is the Vedic tradition. I have described the threefold rite for offering food to ancestors, O sinless one.
मानुषैः पिंडादानं तु कार्यमत्रागतैस्सदा। पिंडदानं च तत्रैव स्वपुत्रैः कार्यमादरात्
Humans who come there should always perform the offering of food to ancestors; and this offering should be made there by their own sons with reverence.
सुपुत्रास्ते पितॄणां तु भवंति सुखदायकाः। प्रोक्तं तीर्थं मया तुभ्यं दर्शनादपि मुक्तिदम्
Good sons bring happiness to their ancestors; the sacred site I have described to you grants liberation even by its mere sight.
स्नात्वा तु सलिले तत्र मुच्यते जन्मबंधनात्। विमुक्तो ब्रह्महत्यायास्तत्र रुद्र यथासुखम्
By bathing in its waters, one is freed from the bondage of birth; released from the sin of killing a Brahmin, there, O Rudra, as one pleases.
अविमुक्ते मया दत्ते तिष्ठ त्वं भार्यया सह। रुद्र उवाच। पृथिव्यां यानि तीर्थानि तेष्वहं विष्णुना सह
I have given Avimukta; remain there together with your wife. Rudra said: Among all the sacred places on earth, I dwell there with Vishnu.
तिष्ठामि भवतोक्तेन वर एष वृतो मया। अहं देवो महादेव आराध्यो भवता सदा
I remain there as you have requested; this boon has been granted by me. I am the great god, always to be worshipped by you.
वरं दास्यामि ते चाहं संतुष्टेनांतरात्मना। विष्णोश्चाहं प्रदास्यामि वरांश्च मनसीप्सितान्
I shall grant you a boon, for I am pleased within my heart; I shall bestow upon you the boons you desire from Viṣṇu as well.
सुराणां चैव सर्वेषां मुनीनां भवितात्मनाम्। अहं दाता अहं याच्यो नान्यो भाव्यः कथंचन
Among all the gods and sages who are devoted to the Self, I alone am the giver and the one to be approached for boons; no other should be considered in any way.
ब्रह्मोवाच। एवं करिष्येहं रुद्र यत्वयोक्तं वचः शुभम्। नारायणश्च ते वाक्यं कर्ता सर्वं न संशयः
Brahmā said: I shall do as you have said, O Rudra, your auspicious words; and Nārāyaṇa too will fulfill your request completely, without doubt.
विसृज्यैवं तदा रुद्रं ब्रह्मा चांतरधीयत। वाराणस्यां महादेवो गत्वा तीर्थं न्यवेशयत्
Having thus addressed Rudra, Brahmā then vanished; and Mahādeva went to Vārāṇasī and established a sacred site there.