स्कंद उवाच नैःश्रेयस्याः श्रियोहेतुमविमुक्त समाश्रयाम्
Skanda said: O Avimukta, I take refuge in you, the cause of supreme prosperity.
परं ब्रह्म यदाम्नातं निष्प्रपंचं निरात्मकम्
That Supreme Brahman, as declared in the scriptures, is beyond the world, without individuality.
तदेतत्क्षेत्रमापूर्य स्थितं सर्वगमप्यहो
Indeed, that pervades this field, remaining all-pervading—how wondrous!
भवो ध्रुवं यदत्रैव मोचयेत्तं निशामय
Know that the Lord, who is eternal, here alone grants liberation.
सुमहद्भिस्तपोभिर्वा शिवोन्यत्र विमोचयेत्
Or, through very great austerities, Shiva may grant liberation elsewhere.
न तपांस्यतिदीर्घाणि काश्यां मुक्त्यै शिवोर्थयेत्
One should not undertake extremely prolonged austerities in Kashi for the sake of liberation from Shiva.
अयमेव महायोग उपयोगस्त्विहा परः
This alone is the supreme yoga, and its application here is indeed the highest.
यद्दत्तं सुमनोवृत्त्या महादानं तदत्र वै
Whatever is given here with a pure and joyful mind is truly a great gift.
स्नात्वा गंगामृते शुद्धे तप एतदिहोत्तमम् तुला पुरुष एतस्याः कलां नार्हति षोडशीम्
Having bathed in the pure nectar of the Ganga, this is the highest austerity here; even a man weighed on a scale does not equal one-sixteenth part of it.
हृदि संचिंत्य विश्वेशं क्षणं यद्विनिमील्यते 4.1.39.
If, for a moment, one meditates in the heart upon the Lord of the universe, closing the eyes—
इदमेव तपोत्युग्रं यदिंद्रिय विलोलताम्
This alone is fierce austerity, if the wavering of the senses is restrained.
मासि मासि यदाप्येत व्रताच्चांद्रायणात्फलम्
Whatever fruit comes each month from the observance of the Chandrayana vow—
मासोपवासादन्यत्र यत्फलं समुपार्ज्यते
Whatever fruit is obtained elsewhere from monthly fasting—
चातुर्मास्य व्रतात्प्रोक्तं यदन्यत्र महाफलम्
Whatever great fruit is declared elsewhere from the observance of the Caturmasya vow—
षण्मासान्न परित्यागाद्यदन्यत्र फलं लभेत्
Whatever fruit is gained elsewhere from abstaining from food for six months—
वर्षं कृत्वोपवासानि लभेदन्यत्र यद्व्रती
Whatever a vow-taker obtains elsewhere by performing fasts for a year—
मासिमासि कुशाग्रांबु पानादन्यत्र यत्फलम्
Whatever fruit comes elsewhere from drinking only kusa-grass water month after month—
अनंतो महिमा काश्याः कस्तं वर्णयितुं प्रभुः
The greatness of Kashi is endless; who is capable of describing it?
शंभुस्तत्किंचिदाचष्टे म्रियमाणस्य जन्मिनः
Shambhu tells a little of it for one who is dying.
स्मारं स्मारं स्मररिपोः पुरीं त्वमिव शंकरः 4.1.39.
Remembering again and again the city of the enemy of Kama, you are indeed like Shankara.
अगस्त्य उवाच त्याजितोहं पुरीं काशीं हरो त्याक्षीत्कुतः प्रभुः
Agastya said: I have been expelled from the city of Kashi; how could Hara, the Lord, expel me?
पराधीनोहमिव किं देवदेवः पिनाकवान्
Am I, like one under another's control, or is the god of gods, the wielder of Pinaka, so?
तत्याज च यथा स्थाणुः काशीं विध्युपरोधतः
And just as Śiva departed from Kāśī due to the obstruction of Vidyunmālī,
प्रार्थितस्त्वं यथा लेखैः परोपकृतये मुने
So too, you were requested through letters, O sage, for the sake of benefiting others.
प्रार्थितोभूत्किमर्थं च तन्मे ब्रूहि षडानन
For what reason were you requested? Tell me that, O six-faced one.
अनावृष्टिरभूद्विप्र सर्वभूतप्रकंपिनी
There was a drought, O brāhmaṇa, that shook all living beings.
तया तु षष्टिहायिन्या पीडिताः प्राणिनोऽखिलाः
Afflicted by that sixty-year drought, all creatures suffered.
महानिम्नेषु कच्छेषु मुनिवृत्त्या जनाः स्थिताः
People survived in deep lowlands and marshes, living as ascetics.
क्रव्यादा एव सर्वेषु नगरेषु पुरेषु च
In all the cities and towns, only flesh-eaters remained.
चौरा एव महाचौरैरुल्लुठ्यंत इतस्ततः 4.1.39.
Thieves, along with great thieves, plundered here and there.