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.
किं विस्मृतं त्वहहगर्भजमामनस्यं कार्तांतदूतकृतबंधन ताडनं च
Have you forgotten the suffering of the womb, the distress of birth, the bonds created by messengers of death, and the pain of punishment?
तीर्थांतराणि कलुषाणि हरति सद्यः श्रेयो ददत्यपि बहु त्रिदिवं नयंति
The various sacred fords, though tainted, immediately remove sin, bestow great merit, and lead many to heaven.
काशीपुरी परिसरे मणिकर्णिकायां त्यक्त्वा तनुं तनुभृतस्तनुमाप्नुवंति
In the vicinity of the city of Kashi, at Manikarnika, those who give up their body there, embodied beings, obtain another body.
ज्ञात्वा प्रभावमतुलं मणिकर्णिकायां यः पुद्गलं त्यजति चाशुचिपूयगंधि
Knowing the incomparable power at Manikarnika, whoever abandons the impure, foul-smelling body there is liberated.
रागादिदोषपरिपूर मनो हृषीकाः काशीपुरीमतुलदिव्यमहाप्रभावाम्
Those whose minds and senses are filled with faults like passion should seek the city of Kashi, possessing unsurpassed divine greatness.
वाराणसीं स्मरहरप्रियराजधानीं त्यक्त्वा कुतो व्रजसि मूढ दिगंतरेषु
O deluded one, having abandoned Varanasi, the beloved royal city of Smara and Hara, why do you go to other directions?
विद्या धनानि सदनानि गजाश्वभृत्याः स्रक्चंदनानि वनिताश्च नितांत रम्याः ।। स्वर्गोप्यगम्य इह नोद्यमभाजिपुंसि वाराणसीत्वसुलभा शलभादिमुक्तिः। धात्रा धृतानि तुलया तुलनामवैतुं वैकुंठमुख्यभुवनानि च काशिका च
Learning, wealth, houses, elephants, horses, servants, garlands, sandalwood, and even most delightful women—heaven itself is not attained here by those lacking effort; but in Varanasi, liberation as easy as for a moth is easily obtained. Let the worlds, including Vaikuntha, be weighed on a scale against Kashi, which is upheld by the Creator.
काशी पुरीमधिवसन्द्रिनरोनरोपिह्मारोप्यमाणइहमान्यहवैकरुद्रः 4.1.30.
In the city of Kashi, those who reside there, whether men or women, being carried to the funeral pyre, are taken up by Rudra himself.
स्थिरापायं कायं जननमरणक्लेशनिलयं विहायास्यां काश्यामहहपरिगृह्णीत न कुतः
Why would one not accept the supreme state in Kashi, having abandoned this unstable body, the abode of the sufferings of birth and death?
अहो लोकः शोकं किमिह सहते हंतहतधीर्विपद्भारैः सारैर्नियतनिधनैर्ध्वसित धनैः
Alas, why does the world endure sorrow here? The mind, struck down by misfortune, is burdened by calamities, and wealth is destroyed by inevitable death.