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,
एकां गां यत्र दत्त्वा वै विधिवद्ब्राह्मणाय वै
Where, by giving just one cow properly to a Brahmin,
एकलिंगं प्रतिष्ठाप्य यत्र संस्थापितं भवेत्
Where, by establishing a single linga, it is considered as installed,
परिनिश्चित्य तावित्थं लिंगे संस्थाप्य पुण्यदे
Having determined thus, one should establish the linga there, which bestows merit.
शंकुकर्णेश्वरं लिंगं शंकुकर्ण ग णार्चितम्
The linga called Shankukarṇeshvara was worshipped by Shankukarṇa and his attendants.
विश्वेशाद्वायुदिग्भागे शंकुकर्णेश्वरं नरः
In the direction of Vāyu from Viśveśa, a man should worship Shankukarṇeshvara.
महाकालेश्वरं लिंगं महाकालगणार्चितम्
The linga called Mahākāleśvara was worshipped by the Mahākāla attendants.
ज्ञात्वा सर्वज्ञनाथोथ प्राहैपीदपरौ गणौ ।। 4.2.53.
Having understood, the lord of all knowledge then addressed those two attendants.
घंटाकर्ण त्वमागच्छ महोदर महामते
"Ghaṇṭākarṇa, come here; Mahodara, great-minded one!"
इत्यगस्ते गणौ तौ तु गत्वा काशीं महापुरीम्
Thus Agastya spoke, and those two attendants went to the great city of Kāśī.
घंटाकर्णेश्वरं लिंगं घंटाकर्ण गणोत्तमः
The excellent attendant Ghaṇṭākarṇa established the linga called Ghaṇṭākarṇeśvara there.
कुंडं तत्रैव संस्थाप्य लिंगस्नपनकर्मणे
There itself, a pond was established for the ritual bathing of the linga.
महोदरोपि तत्प्राच्यां शिवध्यानपरायणः
Mahodara, intent on the meditation of Shiva, was to the east of that place.
महोदरेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा वाराणस्यां द्विजोत्तम
Having seen Mahodareśvara in Vārāṇasī, O best of the twice-born,
घंटाकर्ण ह्रदे स्नात्वा दृष्ट्वा व्यासेश्वरं विभुम्
Ghaṇṭākarṇa, having bathed in the pond, beheld the glorious Vyāseśvara.
घंटाकर्णे महातीर्थे श्राद्धं कृत्वा विधानतः
Having performed the śrāddha rite according to the prescribed method at the great sacred place of Ghaṇṭākarṇa,
निमज्ज्याद्यापि तत्कुंडे क्षण योवहितो भवेत्
even now, one who immerses himself attentively in that very pool, even for a moment,
वदंति पितरः काश्यां घंटाकर्णेमलेजले 4.2.53.
the ancestors say in Kāśī, in the pure waters of Ghaṇṭākarṇa,
यद्वंश्या मुनयः काश्यां घंटाकर्णे महाह्रदे
that the descendants and sages in Kāśī, at the great lake of Ghaṇṭākarṇa,
विसिस्माय स्मरद्वेष्टा मौलिमांदोलयन्मुहुः
the destroyer of desire and hatred was amazed, repeatedly shaking his crown.
उवाच च मनस्येव हरः स्मित्वा पुनःपुनः
And Hara, smiling again and again, spoke within his mind.