आरभ्याश्वयुजःशुक्लां तिथिं प्रतिपदं शुभाम्
—beginning from the auspicious first day of the bright fortnight of Āśvayuja—
कृष्णपक्षस्य भूतायामुपवासी नरोत्तमः
—and during the dark fortnight, the best of men should fast for the sake of the spirits.
प्रणवादिचतुर्थ्यन्तैर्नामभिर्भक्तिमान्नरः 4.1.45.
With devotion, a man should recite the names beginning with Praṇava and ending with the fourth day.
ससर्पिषा गुग्गुलुना लघुकोलि प्रमाणतः
With clarified butter and guggulu, in the proper measure, and with a small koli vessel—
चैत्रकृष्णप्रतिपदि तत्र यात्रा प्रयत्नतः
On the first day of the dark half of Caitra, one should undertake the journey with effort.
यात्रा च सांवत्सरिकीं यो न कुर्यादवज्ञया
Whoever neglects to perform this annual journey—
अग्रे कृत्वा स्थिताः सर्वास्ताः काश्यां मणिकर्णिकाम्
—all those goddesses, having gone ahead, remain at Kāśī in Maṇikarṇikā.
किं चकार पुनः शंभुस्तत्र ब्रह्मण्यपि स्थिते
What did Śambhu do next, while Brahmā was still present there?
शृण्वगस्त्य महाभाग काश्यां ब्रह्मण्यपिस्थिते
Listen, O highly fortunate Agastya, when Brahmā himself resided in Kāśī—
पुरी सा यादृशी काशी वशीकरणभूमिका
That city, Kāśī, was a ground for the practice of enchantment.
यो यो याति पुरीं तां तु स स तत्रैव तिष्ठति
Whoever enters that city, each one remains there itself.
अकिंचित्करतां प्राप्तः स सहस्रकरोप्यरम्
Even one with a thousand arms, upon arriving there, becomes powerless.
चिंतयन्निति देवेशो गणानारहूय भूरिशः
Thus pondering, the Lord of the gods summoned the hosts again and again.
किं कुर्वंति तु योगिन्यः किं करोति स भानुमान्
What are the yoginīs doing, and what is that Sun-god doing?
नामग्राहं ततःऽप्रैषीद्बहुमान पुरःसरम्
Then, with great respect, he sent forth the calling of their names.
सोमनंदिन्नंदिषेण काल पिंगल कुक्कुट
Soma, Nandin, Diṣa, Kāla, Piṅgala, Kukkuṭa—
तिलपर्ण स्मृलकर्ण दृमिचंड प्रभामय 4.2.53.
Tilaparṇa, Smṛlakarṇa, Dṛmicaṇḍa, Prabhāmaya—
वीरभद्र किराताख्य चतुर्मुख निकुंभक
Vīrabhadra, called Kirāta, Caturmukha, Nikuṃbhaka—
विराध सुमुखाषाढे भवंतो मम सूनवः
Virādha, Sumukhāṣāḍha—these are my sons.
यथा शाखविशाखौ च यथेमौ नंदिभृंगिणौ
Just as Śākha and Viśākha, and likewise these two, Nandi and Bhṛṅgi—
काशीप्रवृत्तिं नो जाने दिवोदासनृपस्य च
I do not know the situation in Kāśī, nor that of King Divodāsa.
शंकुकर्णमहाकालौ कालस्यापि प्रकंपनौ
Śaṃkukarṇa and Mahākāla, who even cause time itself to tremble—
कृतप्रतिज्ञौ तो(?) तूर्णं प्राप्य वाराणसीं पुरीम्
Having made their vow, they quickly reached the city of Vārāṇasī.
यथैंद्रजालिकीं दृष्ट्वा मायामिह विचक्षणः
Just as a discerning man, seeing the illusion of a conjurer—
अहो मोहस्य माहात्म्यमहो भाग्यविपर्ययः
Oh, the greatness of delusion! Oh, the reversal of fortune!
तत्यजे यैरियं काशी महाशीर्वादभूभिका
By whom this Kāśī, the ground of great blessings, was abandoned—
यत्र सर्वावभृथतः स्नानमात्रं विशिष्यते 4.2.53.
Where, above all, the mere act of bathing after the full ablution surpasses all else.
यत्रैकपुष्पदानेन शिवलिंगस्य मूर्धनि
Where, by offering a single flower upon the head of the Shiva linga,
यत्र दंडप्रणामेन अप्येकेन शिवाग्रतः
Where, by making just one respectful prostration with a staff before Shiva,
यत्रैकद्विजमात्रं तु भोजयित्वा यथेच्छया
Where, by feeding even a single twice-born according to one's wish,