क्षेत्रस्य तत्त्वमेतद्धि षट्त्रिंशल्लिंगरूप्यहो
This is the essence of the sacred field: thirty-six forms of linga, indeed.
मुने रहस्यभूतानि र्लिगान्येतानि निश्चितम् 4.2.94.
O sage, these lingas are certainly of a secret nature.
मोक्षक्षेत्रमिंदं काशी लिंगैरेतैर्मेहामते
O wise one, Kāśī is the field of liberation because of these lingas.
आनंदकाननं शंभोः क्षेत्रमेतदनादिमत्
This field of Śambhu is the forest of bliss, eternal in nature.
योगसिद्धिरिहास्त्येव तपःसिद्धिरिहैव हि
Here, indeed, there is attainment of yoga and accomplishment of austerity.
सिद्ध्यष्टकं तु यत्प्रोक्तमणिमादि महत्तरम्
The eightfold attainment, beginning with aṇimā, which has been described, is most exalted.
निर्वाणलक्ष्म्याः सदनमेतदानंदकाननम्
This forest of bliss is the abode of the fortune of liberation.
अयमेव महालाभ इदमेव परं तपः
This alone is the great gain; this alone is the supreme austerity.
अवश्यं जन्मिनो मृत्युर्यत्र कुत्र भविष्यति
For those born, death will certainly occur somewhere, at some time.
मृत्युं विज्ञाय नियतं गतिकर्मानुसारिणीम्
Knowing death to be inevitable, following the course of fate and action.
मानुष्यं प्राप्य यं मूढा निमेषमितजीवितम्
Foolish are those who, having attained human birth—so brief as the blink of an eye—waste it.
दुर्लभं जन्म मानुष्यं दुर्लभा काशिकापुरी 4.2.94.
Human birth is hard to obtain, and the city of Kashi is even harder to attain.
क्व च तादृक्तपांसीह क्व तादृग्योग उत्तमः
Where else is there such a remover of sins here, or such supreme yoga?
सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यं सत्यपूर्वं पुनःपुनः
Truly, truly, again and again, with truth as the foundation, I declare repeatedly—
विश्वेशो मुक्तिदो नित्यं मुक्त्यै चोत्तरवाहिनी
The Lord of the Universe is ever the giver of liberation, and the northern-flowing river grants liberation.
एक एव हि विश्वेशो मुक्तिदो नान्य एव हि
Indeed, the Lord of the Universe alone is the giver of liberation; there is truly no other.
सायुज्यमुक्तिरत्रैव सान्निध्यादिरथान्यतः
Union with the Divine is attained here alone; proximity and other forms elsewhere.
कृष्णद्वैपायनो व्यासोऽकथयद्यन्महद्वचः
Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa has spoken this great teaching.
आश्चर्यभाजनं जातस्तीर्थानि कथयाधुना
Now, I shall recount the sacred fords that have become objects of wonder.
आनंदकानने यानि यत्र संति षडानन
Those that are in the Forest of Bliss, where the six-faced one resides.
यादृशः कथितो वच्मि तादृशं शृणु कुंभज
As they have been described, so I shall tell them—listen, O son of Kumbha.
तानि तानीह मे काश्यां तत्रतत्र वद प्रभो
Tell me, O Lord, of those sacred places here in Kashi, wherever they may be.
जलाशयेपि तीर्थाख्या जाता मूर्ति परिग्रहात्
Even in reservoirs of water, sacred fords have arisen due to the presence of divine forms.
मूर्तयो ब्रह्मविष्ण्वर्कशिवविघ्नेश्वरादिकाः
The forms are those of Brahma, Vishnu, the Sun, Shiva, Ganesha, and others.
वाराणस्यां महादेवः प्रथमं तीर्थमुच्यते
In Varanasi, Mahadeva is said to be the foremost sacred ford.
क्षेत्रपूर्वोत्तरेभागे तद्दृष्टं पशुपाशहृत्
It is seen in the northeastern part of the field, where the bonds of the beast are cut.
सा पूजिता प्रयत्नेन सुखवस्तिप्रदा सदा
That place, when worshipped with devotion, always bestows the happiness of good dwelling.
तद्दर्शनाद्भवेत्सम्यग्गोदानजनितं फलम् 4.2.97.
By beholding it, one obtains in full the merit that comes from gifting cows.
तद्दर्शनाद्भवेत्पुंसां फलं यज्ञसमुद्भवम्
From seeing that, a person attains the fruit arising from a sacrifice.
लिंगं दृष्ट्वा प्रयत्नेन वैष्णवं पदमृच्छति
By earnestly beholding the liṅga, one attains the Vaiṣṇava abode.