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.
काशिवासिनिजने वनेचरेद्वित्रिभुज्यपि समीरभोजने
Even if living in the forest and eating only what the wind brings, one should dwell among the people of Kashi.
नास्तीह दुष्कृतकृतां सुकृतात्मनां वा काचिद्विशेषगतिरंतकृतां हि काश्याम्
Here in Kashi, there is no special destination after death for those who have done evil or for those of virtuous soul; for all, the end is the same.
शशका मशका बकाः शुकाः कलविंकाश्च वृकाः सजंबुकाः
Hares, flies, cranes, parrots, finches, wolves, and jackals—
अरुद्ररुद्राक्षफणींद्रभूषणास्त्रिपुंड्रचंद्रार्धधराधरागताः
Those adorned with Rudraksha, serpents as ornaments, bearing three lines and the crescent moon, and holding the mountain—
यावंत एव निवसंति च जंतवोऽत्र काश्यां जलस्थलचरा झषजंबुकाद्याः
As many creatures as dwell here in Kashi, whether living in water or on land, such as fish and jackals—
ये तु वर्षेषवोरुद्रा दिवि देवि प्रकीर्तिताः
O goddess, those who are called Rudras in the heavens for many years—
रुद्रा दश दश प्राच्यवाची प्रत्यगुदक्स्थिताः
There are ten Rudras in each direction: east, west, north, and south.
असंख्याताः सहस्राणि ये रुद्रा अधिभूतले 4.1.30.
The Rudras on earth are countless thousands.
दैनंदिनेऽथ प्रलये त्रिशूलकोटौ समुत्क्षिप्य पुरीं हरः स्वाम् 4.1.30.
Then, at the daily dissolution, Hara lifts up his city onto the tip of the trident.
अतः परं कलशज किं शुश्रूषसि तद्वद
Now then, O one born from the pot, what else do you wish to hear? Tell me that.
न तृप्तिमधिगच्छामि शृण्वन्वाराणसीकथाम्
I do not attain satisfaction while listening to the tale of Varanasi.
अनुग्रहो यदि मयि योग्योस्मि श्रवणे यदि
If there is favor toward me, if I am worthy to hear,
कोसौ भैरवनामात्र काशिपुर्यां व्यवस्थितः
Who is this one named Bhairava, established in the city of Kashi?
कथमाराधितश्चैव सिद्धिदः साधकस्य वै
And how is he worshipped, indeed, as the giver of success to the practitioner?
तथा न कस्यचिन्मन्ये ततो वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः
Thus, I do not consider anyone else; therefore, I will speak of it in full.
प्रादुर्भावं भैरवस्य महापातकनाशनम्
The manifestation of Bhairava is the destroyer of great sins.
पाणिभ्यां परितः प्रपीड्य सुदृढं निश्चोत्य निश्चोत्य च ब्रह्मांडं सकलं पचेलिमरसालोच्चैः फलाभं मुहुः
Pressing firmly all around with his hands, squeezing again and again, he churns the entire cosmic egg with the juice of pacelima, repeatedly making it resemble a fruit.
कुंभयोने न वेत्त्येव महिमानं महेशितुः
The one born from the pot does not at all know the greatness of the great Lord.
न चित्रमत्र भूदेव भवमाया दुरत्यया
There is nothing surprising here, O lord of the earth; the illusion of existence is hard to cross.
वेदयेद्यदिचात्मानं स एव परमेश्वरः 4.1.31.
Whoever realizes himself, that one is the Supreme Lord.