वागिंद्रियं तदीयं च प्रोच्चरत्तदहर्निशम्
Her speech and senses belonged to it, uttering it day and night.
एतन्नामाक्षररसं रसयंती दिवानिशम् 4.2.74.
She savored the essence of this imperishable name, day and night.
संमार्जनं रंगमालाः प्रासादं परितः सदा
She always swept, adorned with garlands, and circled the temple.
तत्र पाशुपता ये वै प्रणवेशार्चने रताः
There, those devoted to the worship of the Lord of Om, engaged in the service of the emblem, are called Pashupatas.
वैशाखस्य चतुर्दश्यामेकदा सा तु माधवी
Once, on the fourteenth day of Vaiśākha, that Mādhavī appeared.
यात्रामिलितभक्तेषु प्रातर्यातेषु सर्वतः
When the devotees had gathered for the festival and departed in the morning from all directions,
गायंती मधुरं गीतं नृत्यंती निजलीलया
She sang a sweet song and danced in her own playful manner.
अनेनैव शरीरेण पार्थिवेन महामतिः
With this very earthly body, the great-minded one,
प्रादुर्बभूव यल्लिंगाज्ज्योतिर्जटिलितांबरम्
Manifested from the liṅga as a radiant form, clothed in tangled garments.
राधशुक्लचतुर्दश्यामद्यापि क्षेत्रवासिनः
Even today, on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight in Rādha, the residents of the sacred place
तत्र जागरणं कृत्वा चतुर्दश्यामुपोषिताः
Keep vigil there, having fasted on the fourteenth day.
ब्रह्मांडोदर मध्ये तु यानि तीर्थानि सर्वतः 4.2.74.
Within the middle of the cosmic egg are all the sacred places everywhere.
सर्वाण्यायतनान्याशु साब्धीनि स गिरीण्यपि ।। 4.2.74.
All the shrines, the seas, and even the mountains are there.
ये निंदंति महादेवं क्षेत्रं निंदंति येऽधियः 4.2.74.
Those who revile Mahādeva, and those learned ones who revile the sacred place,
ओंकारसदृशं लिंगं न क्वचिज्जगतीतले
Nowhere on the surface of the world is there a liṅga like the one resembling the syllable Oṃ.
इममध्यायमाकर्ण्य नरस्तद्गतमानसः
A person who listens to this chapter with a mind absorbed in it,
स्कंद देव्यै समाख्यातं तदाख्याहि कृपां कुरु
Skanda, tell this to the goddess; show mercy and relate it.
आकर्णय महाप्राज्ञ यथा देवेन भाषितम्
Listen, O wise one, to what was spoken by the god.
वृत्रं निहत्य वृत्रारिर्ब्रह्महत्यामवाप्तवान्
Having slain Vṛtra, the enemy of Vṛtra incurred the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa.
अपानुनुत्सुस्तद्याहि काशीं विश्वेशपालिताम्
He went to Kāśī, protected by Viśveśa, to remove that sin.
नान्यत्किंचित्क्वचिद्दृष्टं ब्रह्महत्यामहौषधम्
Nowhere else has any remedy for the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa been seen.
भैरवस्यापिहस्ताग्रादपतद्वैधसं शिरः
From the tip of Bhairava's hand, the head of the sacrificial victim fell.
सीमानमपि संप्राप्य शक्रानंदवनस्य हि
Having reached the boundary of the Indra's pleasure grove,
अन्येषामपि पापानां महापापजुषामपि
Even for others who are sinful, and for those who indulge in great sins,
महापातकतो मुक्तिः काश्यामे व शतक्रतो
Liberation from great transgressions is attained in Kāśī, O Indra.
निर्वाणनगरी काशी काशी सर्वाघसंघहृत् ।। 4.2.81.
Kāśī is the city of liberation; Kāśī removes all clusters of sins.
ब्रह्महत्याभयं यस्य यस्य संसारतो भयम्
For whom there is fear of killing a Brāhmaṇa, and fear from the cycle of existence,
जंतूनां कर्मबीजानां यत्र देहविसर्जने
Where, at the abandonment of the body, the seeds of karma of creatures,
तां काशीं प्राप्य वृत्रारे वृत्रहत्यापनुत्तये
Having reached that Kāśī, O slayer of Vṛtra, for the removal of the sin of killing Vṛtra,
बृहस्पतेरिति वचो निशम्य स सहस्रदृक्
Hearing the words of Bṛhaspati, he of a thousand eyes,