लभंते पापनाशं च माहात्म्यस्यास्य धारणात्
By upholding this greatness, they obtain the destruction of sin.
सदाशिवप्रसादं च दत्ते शोणाद्रिदर्शनम् ।। 1.3.1.13.
And they receive the grace of Sadāśiva and the vision of the crimson mountain.
इति कैलासशिखरात्प्राप्ता देवी शिवाज्ञया
Thus, by Śiva’s command, the goddess arrived from the summit of Kailāsa.
स्थानेष्वन्येषु देवस्य विद्यमानेषु च क्षितौ
Though there are other places of the god present upon the earth,
अयं सदाशिवः साक्षादरुणाचलरूपतः
This is Sadāśiva himself, in the very form of Aruṇācala.
एतत्तु तैजसं लिगं सर्वदेवनमस्कृतम्
This radiant liṅga, revered by all the gods,
अरुणाचलनाथस्य तेजसा धूतकल्मषाः
By the brilliance of the Lord of Aruṇācala, all sins are washed away.
प्रदक्षिणैर्नमस्कारैस्तपोभिर्नियमैरपि
By circumambulations, salutations, austerities, and observances,
न तथा तपसा योगैर्दानैः प्रीणाति शंकरः
Śaṃkara is not so pleased by austerities, yogas, or gifts,
स्वयंभुवः सदा वेदाः सेतिहासा दिवि स्थिताः
The eternal Vedas, along with the Itihāsas, remain established in heaven.
एतस्य वैभवं सर्वं न मया न च शार्ङ्गिणा
All this glory of his is not fully known by me, nor by the wielder of Śārṅga.
देवाश्च हरिमुख्यास्ते कल्पकाद्याः सुरद्रुमाः 1.3.1.13.
The gods, with Hari at their head, and the wish-fulfilling trees from the beginning of the kalpa—
न तस्य कलिदोषः स्यान्नाधिव्याधिविजृंभणा
For him, there is no fault of Kali, nor the outbreak of afflictions or diseases.
इत्येतत्कथितं सर्वं तव शंभुपदाश्रयम्
Thus, all this has been told to you, which is the refuge of Śambhu’s feet.
श्रुतिपुटयुगलात्पिबन्मनोज्ञां सनकमुनिस्तपसां फलं स लेभे
Drinking the delightful fruit of austerities from the twin cups of the Vedas, the sage Sanaka obtained it.
अथारुणाचलमाहात्म्योत्तरार्धम् वसंतो नैमिषारण्ये मुनयः सूतमब्रुवन् मुनय ऊचुः स्थानानामुत्तमं शैवं यत्स्थलं तद्वदस्व नः
Now, in the second half of the greatness of Aruṇācala, while residing in Naimiṣāraṇya, the sages spoke to Sūta: 'O Sūta, tell us which is the foremost Śaiva place among all the holy sites.'
सूत उवाच यूयं शृणुत यत्पूर्वं नंदीश्वरमुखाच्छ्रुतम्
Sūta said: 'Listen, all of you, to what was formerly heard from the mouth of Nandīśvara.'
नंदीश्वर त्वया प्रोक्तो महिमा माध्यमेश्वरः
Nandīśvara, you have spoken of the greatness of Mādhyeśvara.
तथापि वद मे भूयो देवदेव दयानिधे
Yet, O Lord of gods, ocean of compassion, tell me again.
त्वयाप्यविदितं किंचिन्नास्त्यत्र भुवनत्रये
There is nothing in these three worlds that is unknown to you.
स्वर्गापवर्गयोः पुंसां भूमिरेव विशिष्यते
Among heaven and liberation, for people, the earth is truly superior.
फलं च त्रिविधं पुंसां त्वयैव कथितं पुरा
You have already described the threefold fruit for people.
पुण्यक्षयेण क्षीयेत प्रायः प्राथमिकं द्वयम्
When merit is exhausted, generally the first two are diminished.
तत्सिद्धिस्तु त्वया प्रोक्ता विशुद्धज्ञानगोचरा
But that attainment, as you have said, is accessible only through pure knowledge.
तज्ज्ञानं कुत्र वा क्षेत्रे शास्त्रादिपठनं विना 1.3.2.1.
Where, in what place, does such knowledge arise, without study of scripture and the like?
ज्ञानयोगक्रियाचर्यास्वशेषाणां शरीरिणाम्
Among embodied beings, the rest depend on the practice of knowledge, yoga, and action.
यस्य स्थानस्य माहात्म्यादल्पैरपि शरीरिणः
By the greatness of that place, even with little effort, embodied beings—
भस्मरुद्राक्षवहनादीश्वरस्मरणात्सकृत्
By wearing ash and rudrākṣa, or by remembering the Lord even once—
अबुद्धिपूर्वकेणापि यत्र वासेन देहिनाम्
Even by residing there unintentionally, for embodied beings—
जातानां वर्णसांकर्य्ये तैरश्ची योनिमीयुषाम्
For those born in mixed castes, or who have entered animal wombs—