तावद्गर्जंति पापानि तावद्गर्जेद्यमो नृपः
So long do sins roar, so long does Yama, the lord of death, roar, O king.
प्राप्तविश्वेश्वरावासः पीतोत्तरवहापयाः
He who has reached the abode of the Lord of the universe, clad in yellow garments—
करिष्येत्कुपितःकालः किंकाशीवासिनां नृणाम्
What can angry Time do to those who dwell in Kāśī?
यथा प्रयाति शिशुता कौमारं च यथा गतम्
Just as childhood passes into youth, so does what has gone, depart.
यावन्नहि जराक्रांतिर्यावन्नेंद्रियवैक्लवम्
As long as old age has not come, as long as the senses have not declined—
अन्यानि काललक्ष्माणि तिष्ठंतु कलशोद्भव
Let other marks of time remain, O one born from the pot.
पराभूतो हि जरया सर्वैश्च परिभूयते
For one overcome by old age, he is scorned by all.
सुतावाक्यं न कुर्वंति पत्नी प्रेमापि मुंचति
Sons do not heed his words, and even his wife abandons her affection.
आश्लिष्टं जरया दृष्ट्वा परयोषिद्विशंकिता 4.1.42.
Seeing him embraced by old age, other women become wary.
न जरा सदृशो व्याधिर्न दुःखं जरया समम्
There is no disease like old age, nor any suffering equal to it.
न जीयते तथा कालस्तपसा योगयुक्तिभिः
Time cannot be overcome by austerity or by yogic practices.
विनायज्ञैर्विनादानैर्विना व्रतजपादिभिः
Not by sacrifices, nor by gifts, nor by vows and recitations.
काशीप्राप्तिरयं योगःकाथीप्राप्तिरिदं तपः
To reach Kāśī is yoga; to reach Kāṭhī is austerity.
कः कलिकोथवा कालः का जरा किं च दुष्कृतम्
What is the fault of Kali, what is time, what is old age, and what is evil deed?
कलिस्तानेव बाधेत कालस्तांश्च जिघांसति
In Kashi alone, Kali afflicts, and Time seeks to destroy them.
एनांसि तांश्च बाधंते ये न काशीं समाश्रिताः तारकं ज्ञानमासाद्य ते मुक्ताः कर्मपाशतः
Sins and afflictions trouble those who have not taken refuge in Kashi; but those who attain the liberating knowledge become freed from the bonds of karma.
धनिनो न तथा सौख्यं प्राप्नुवंति नराः क्वचित्
Men possessing wealth never truly attain happiness anywhere.
वरं काशीसमावासी नासीनो द्युसदां पदम्
It is better to dwell in Kashi than to sit in the abode of the gods.
स्थितोपि भगवनीशो मंदरं चारुकंदरम् 4.1.42.
Even the blessed Lord remained on the beautiful Mandara mountain.
काशीं संत्याजयामास कथमागाच्च मंदरात्
He caused Kashi to be abandoned—how did he come from Mandara?
तपसा तस्य संतुष्टो मंदरस्यैव भूभृतः
By the austerity of Mandara's lord, the Lord was satisfied.
गते विश्वेश्वरे देवे मंदरं गिरिसुंदरम्
When Lord Vishveshvara departed, Mandara, the lovely mountain, remained.
क्षेत्राणि वैष्णवानीह त्यक्त्वा विष्णुरपि क्षितेः
Even Vishnu abandoned the Vaishnava sacred places of the earth.
स्थानानि गाणपत्यानि गणेशोपि ततो व्रजत्
Then Ganesha also left the places belonging to the Ganas.
सूरः सौराणि संत्यज्य गतश्चायतनादरम्
Surya, forsaking the Saura shrines, departed from his own abode.
गतेषु देवसंघेषु पृथिव्याः पृथिवीपतिः
When the assembly of gods had departed, the lord of the earth—
विधाय राजधानीं स वाराणस्यां सुनिश्चलाम्
—established a steadfast capital at Varanasi.
सूर्यवत्स प्रतपिता दुर्हृदां हृदि नेत्रयोः
Like the sun, he scorched the hearts and eyes of the wicked.
अखंडमाखंडलवत्कोदंडकलयन्रणे 4.1.43.
Unbroken, like Akhandala, wielding a curved bow in battle.
स धर्मराजवज्जातो धर्माधर्मविवेचकः
He was born like a king of righteousness, discerning between right and wrong.