क्व काशिका विश्वपदप्रकाशिका क्व कार्यमन्यत्परितोतिदुःखम्
Where is Kashi, the illuminator of the universal path, and where are other actions, full of sorrow and dissatisfaction?
काशीं प्रकाशीं कृतपुण्यराशिं हा शीघ्रनाशी विसृजेन्नरः किम्
Why would a man abandon radiant Kashi, the storehouse of good deeds, which is swiftly destroyed?
नरो न रोगी यदिहाविहाय सहायभूतां सकलस्य जंतोः
A man here, not diseased, should not leave Kashi, which is the companion of all living beings.
वित्रस्तपापां त्रिदशैर्दुरापां गंगां सदापां भवपाशशापाम्
Ganga, always accessible, removes the bondage of existence, is feared by sinners, and hard to reach even for the gods.
हंहो किमंहो निचिताः प्रलब्धा बंहीयसायास भरेण काशीम्
Alas! What is this? Having gathered and obtained Kashi with great effort and burden, why abandon it?
अहो जनानां जडता विहाय काशीं यदन्यत्र न यंति चेतः 4.1.5.
Ah! The dullness of people—having forsaken Kashi, their minds do not go elsewhere.
रेरे भवे शोकजलैकपूर्णे पापेस्मलोकाः पतिताब्धिमध्ये
Alas! In the world, filled only with the waters of sorrow, sinful people are fallen in the midst of the ocean of ruin.
न सत्पथेनापि न योगयुक्त्या दानैर्नवा नैव तपोभिरुग्रैः
Not by the true path, nor by yoga, nor by gifts, nor by fierce austerities is it attained.
धर्मस्तु संपत्तिभरैः किलोह्यतेप्यर्थो हि कामैर्बहुदानभोगकैः
Dharma is indeed destroyed by the weight of riches; and wealth, by many gifts and enjoyments, is ruined by desires.
क्षेत्रं पवित्रं हि यथाऽविमुक्तं नान्यत्तथायच्छ्रुतिभिः प्रयुक्तम्
Just as Avimukta is the purest field, so none other is spoken of in the scriptures as equal.
सहोवाचेति जाबालिरारुणेसिरिडामता
Thus said Jabali to Aruneya, the son of Iridā.
सा सुषुम्णा परानाडी त्रयं वाराणसीत्वसौ
That Suṣumnā is the supreme channel; the three are Varanasi itself.
तारकं ब्रह्मव्याचष्टे तेन ब्रह्म भवंति हि
Taraka is declared as Brahman; by it, one becomes Brahman indeed.
भगवानंतकालेऽत्र तारकस्योपदेशतः
At the time of death, the Blessed One, by the instruction of Taraka, attains Brahman here.
नाविमुक्तसमंक्षेत्रं नाविमुक्तसमा गतिः
There is no field equal to Avimukta, nor any path equal to Avimukta.
अविमुक्तं परित्यज्य योन्यत्र कुरुते रतिम् 4.1.5.
Abandoning Avimukta, if one delights elsewhere, it is not right.
इत्थं सुनिश्चित्य मुनिर्महात्मा क्षेत्रप्रभावं श्रुतितः पुराणात्
Thus, having firmly determined the greatness of the sacred place from what he had heard in the Purāṇas, the great-souled sage—
श्रीकालराजं च ततः प्रणम्य विज्ञापयामास मुनीशवर्यः
—then, bowing to Śrī Kālarāja, the best among sages made his request.
हा कालराजप्रति भूतमत्र प्रत्यष्टमिप्रत्यवनीसुतार्कम्
Alas, Kālarāja, you are present here; the spirits and the sun, offspring of the earth, are also here.
हा कालभैरव भवानभितो भयार्तान्माभैष्ट चे तिभणनैः स्वकरं प्रसार्य
Alas, Kālabhairava, you stand nearby—those who are afflicted by fear, do not be afraid! Saying this, he extended his own hand.
हे यक्षराज रजनीकर चारुमूर्ते श्रीपूर्णभद्रसुतनायक दंडपाणे
O king of Yakṣas, radiant as the moon, beautiful in form, lord of Śrī Pūrṇabhadra's sons, wielder of the staff—
त्वमन्नदस्त्वं किल जीवदाता त्वं ज्ञानदस्त्वं किल मोक्षदोपि
You are the giver of food, indeed the giver of life; you bestow knowledge, and truly, you are also the giver of liberation.
गणौ त्वदीयौ किल संभ्रमोद्भ्रमावत्रस्थवृत्तांत विचारकोविदौ
Your two attendants, it is said, are skilled in discerning the events that occur here, moving about in haste and agitation.
शृणु प्रभो ढुंढिविनायक त्वं वाचं मदीयां तुरटाम्यनाथवत् ।। त्वत्स्थाः समस्ताः किल विघ्नपूगाः किमत्र दुर्वृत्तवदास्थितोहम्
Hear me, O lord Ḍhuṇḍhi Vināyaka! Listen to my words, for I am in haste and without support. All obstacles, it is said, dwell with you—why, then, am I beset like one of evil conduct?
शृण्वंत्वमी पंच विनायकाश्च चिंतामणिश्चापि कपर्दिनामा
Let these five Vināyakas also listen, and Cintāmaṇi, who is called Kapardin.
परापवादो न मया किलोक्तः परापकारोपि मया कृतो न 4.1.5.
I have not spoken ill of others, nor have I done harm to anyone.
गंगा त्रिकालं परिसेविता मया श्रीविश्वनाथोपि सदा विलोकितः
I have served the Gaṅgā at all three times, and I have always gazed upon Śrī Viśvanātha.
मातर्विशालाक्षि भवानिमंगले ज्येष्ठेशिसौभाग्यविधानसुंदरि
O mother, wide-eyed, auspicious Bhavānī, beautiful bestower of fortune, consort of the chief among the eldest—
साक्षिण्य एता किलकाशिदेवताः शृण्वंतु न स्वार्थमहं व्रजाम्यतः
Let these deities of Kāśī bear witness; let them hear—I do not pursue my own interest in this.
दधीचिरस्थीनि न किं पुरा ददौ जगत्त्रयं किं न ददेऽर्थिने बलिः
Did not Dadhīci once give his bones? Did not Bali give the three worlds to the one who asked?