अकृत्वा जाह्नवीस्नानमनवेक्ष्य जगत्पतिम्
Without having bathed in the Ganges, nor having seen the Lord of the world,
भारवाडप्यरण्यान्यां ताम्रसंपुटमध्यतः।। दृष्ट्वास्थीनि विनिःश्वस्य तानि त्यक्त्वा गृहं ययौ
He saw, in another forest, within a copper vessel, the bones of the bearer of burdens; sighing, he left them and went home.
वणिक्च तद्गृहं प्राप्य शुष्ककंठोष्ठतालुकः
And the merchant, reaching his house, with throat, lips, and palate parched,
आशया किंचिदाश्वस्य तत्पत्नीं परिपृष्टवान्
Regaining a little composure with hope, questioned the wife of that man.
वसु क्व ते गतो भर्ता मातुरस्थीनिमेऽर्पय
"Where has your husband gone, lady? Give me the bones for my mother."
अज्ञात्वा लोभवशतस्तेन नीतोऽस्थिसंपुटः
Unknowing, and out of greed, he was led away with the bundle of bones.
अथवा न प्रसू दोषो मंदभाग्योऽस्मि तत्सुतः
Or perhaps the fault is not in the mother; I am her son, of poor fortune.
उद्यमं कृतवानस्मि न सिद्ध्येन्मंदभाग्यतः
I have made the effort, but due to my ill fortune, it did not succeed.
अस्थीनि दर्शयत्वाशु धनं दास्येऽधिकं ततः 4.1.30.
"Show me the bones quickly; I will give you even more wealth for them."
लज्जानम्रशिराःसोऽथ वृत्तांतं विनिवेद्य च
Then, with head bowed in shame, she related the entire account.
वनेचरोऽथ तत्स्थानं दैवाद्विस्मृतवान्मुने
Then, O sage, the forest-dweller, by fate, forgot that place.
इतोरण्यात्ततो याति ततोरण्यादितो व्रजेत्
He goes from this forest to that, and from that forest he would proceed elsewhere.
विहाय मध्येऽरण्यानि तं ययौ च स्वपक्कणम्
Leaving the forests in the middle, he went to his own dwelling.
क्षुत्क्षामः शुष्ककंठोष्ठो हाहेति परिदेवयन् ८
Emaciated by hunger, with parched throat and lips, he lamented, crying 'Alas!'
तन्मंदभाग्यतां श्रुत्वा लोकात्कार्पटिको मुने
Hearing of his misfortune, O sage, the people called him a pauper.
काश्यां प्रवेशं प्राप्यापि तदस्थीनि घटोद्भव
Even after entering Kāśī, O Ghaṭodbhava, only his bones remained.
एवं काश्यां प्रविश्यापि पापी धर्मानुषंगतः
Thus, even after entering Kāśī, the sinner, due to his actions, remained bound to the consequences of his deeds.
तस्माद्विश्वेश्वराज्ञैव काशीवासेऽत्र कारणम्
Therefore, O king of the universe, it is solely by your command that residence in Kāśī is attained here.
वाराणसीति विख्याता तदारभ्य महामुने 4.1.30.
From that time onward, O great sage, this city became renowned as Vārāṇasī.
वाराणसीह करुणामयदिव्यमूर्तिरुत्सृज्य यत्र तु तनुं तनुभृत्सुखेन
In Vārāṇasī, the divine form full of compassion is where embodied beings joyfully abandon the body.
जातो मृतो बहुषु तीर्थवरेषु रे त्वं जंतो न जातु तव शांतिरभून्निमज्य
Born or dead at many excellent sacred places, O being, you never attained peace by merely bathing there.
अन्यत्र तीर्थ सलिले पतितोद्विजन्मा देवादिभावमयते न तथा तु काश्याम्
Elsewhere, one who falls into the water of a sacred place attains the state of a god or higher being, but not so in Kāśī.
नैषा पुरी संसृतिरूपपारावारस्य पारं पुरहा पुरारिः
This city is not the far shore of the ocean of transmigration; the destroyer of cities, the enemy of Pura, is its shore.
तीर्थांतराणि मनुजः परितोऽवगाह्य हित्वा तनुं कलुषितां दिवि दैवतं स्यात्
A man, after bathing in other sacred places and leaving behind his impure body, may become divine in heaven.
वाराणसी समरसीकरणादृतेपि योगादयोगिजनतां जनतापहंत्री
Even without the equalizing influence of Vārāṇasī, she removes the suffering of people, whether they are yogis or not.
वाराणसी परिसरे तनुमिष्टदात्रीं धर्मार्थकामनिलयामहहाविसृज्य
In the vicinity of Vārāṇasī, she is the giver of desired bodies, the abode of dharma, wealth, and desire, and indeed grants liberation.
आःकाशिवासिजनता ननु वंचिताभूद्भाले विलोचनवतावनितार्धभाजा
Alas, truly the people dwelling in Kāśī are not deceived, for she is half the body of the one with the moon on his forehead.
वाराणसी स्फुरदसीमगुणैकभूमिर्यत्र स्थितास्तनुभृतःशशिभृत्प्रभावात्
Vārāṇasī is the sole ground of manifest, limitless virtues, where embodied beings remain by the power of the moon-bearer.
आनंदकाननमिदं सुखदं पुरैव तत्त्रापि चक्रसरसी मणिकर्णिकाऽथ 4.1.30.
This is the forest of bliss, the giver of happiness since ancient times; there too is the lake of the discus, Maṇikarṇikā.
वाराणसीह वरणासि सरिद्वरिष्ठा संभेदखेदजननी द्युनदी लसच्छ्रीः
Here in Vārāṇasī, the best of rivers, Varaṇā and Asī, meet; the celestial river, shining with splendor, is the mother of their union and sorrow.