त्वदनीक्षणतः क्षणाद्विभो प्रलयं यांति जगंति शोच्यवत्
O Lord, the worlds perish in an instant, like something to be mourned, when deprived of your gaze.
भवतः परितापहेतवो न भवंतींदु दिवाकराग्नयः
The moon, the sun, and fire do not cause you any distress.
भुजगाभुजगाः सदैव तेऽमी न विषं संक्रमते च नीलकंठ
O Blue-throated One, these serpents always remain near you, yet their venom does not affect you.
इति संसृतिसंबीजजनन्याभिहिते हिते
Thus spoke the mother, the origin of the seeds of transmigration, with words of benefit.
सत्वरं शिवयाज्ञायि ध्रुवं काश्याहृतोहरः
Then, Shiva, the Lord, was quickly brought from Kashi for the yajna.
अथबालसखी भूत तत्तत्काननवीरुधम्
Or, accompanied by her childhood friends, she went to the various forest plants.
कृतपुंडरीकशोभां स्मरहरकाशीं पुरीं यावः
They reached the city of Smarahara, Kashi, adorned with the beauty of lotuses.
धराधरेंद्रस्य धरातिसुंदरा न मां तथास्यापि धिनोति धूर्जटे 4.1.44.
O Dhurjati, even the earth’s most beautiful peaks do not delight me as much as she does.
न यत्र काश्यां कलिकालजं भयं न यत्र काश्यां मरणात्पुनर्भवः
In Kashi, there is no fear arising from the age of Kali, nor is there rebirth after death.
किमत्र नो संति पुरः सहस्रशः पदेपदे सर्वसमृद्धिभूमयः
What is not found here? At every step, there are thousands of places filled with all prosperity.
त्रिविष्टपे संति न किं पुरः शतं समस्तकौतूहलजन्मभूमयः
Are there not a hundred such places in heaven, the sources of all kinds of wonders?
न केवलं काशिवियोगजो ज्वरः प्रबाधते त्वां तु तथा यथात्र माम्
It is not only the fever of separation from Kashi that afflicts you, but here it torments me as well.
मया न मेने ममजन्मभूमिका वियोगजन्मा परिदाघईशितः
I did not consider the pain of separation from my birthplace, which burns me intensely.
न मोक्षलक्ष्म्योत्र समक्षमीक्षितास्तनूभृता केनचिदेव कुत्रचित्
Here, the goddess of liberation has never been directly seen by any embodied being, anywhere.
न मुक्तिरस्तीह तथा समाधिना स्थिरेंद्रियत्वोज्झित तत्समाधिना
Liberation is not attained here by the kind of samadhi that is devoid of steady control of the senses.
न नाकलोके सुखमस्ति तादृशं कुतस्तु पातालतलेऽतिसुंदरे
Such happiness is not found even in heaven; how then could it exist in the beautiful depths of the underworld?
क्षेत्रे त्रिशूलिन्भवतोऽविमुक्ते विमुक्तिलक्ष्म्या न कदापि मुक्ते
In your field, O Trident-bearer, called Avimukta, the fortune of liberation is never absent for the liberated.
षडंगयोगान्नहि तादृशी नृभिः शरीरसिद्धिः सहसात्र लभ्यते 4.1.44.
Through the six-limbed yoga, such perfection of the body is not easily attained by men here.
वरं हि तिर्यक्त्वमबुद्धिवैभवं न मानवत्वं बहुबुद्धिभाजनम्
It is better indeed to be born as an animal, lacking the brilliance of intellect, than to be a human, the vessel of many thoughts.
दृशौ कृतार्थे कृतकाशिदर्शने तनुःकृतार्था शिवकाशिवासिनी
Eyes fulfill their purpose when they behold Kāśī; the body fulfills its purpose when it dwells in the auspicious Kāśī.
वरं हि तत्काशिरजोति पावनं रजस्तमोध्वंसि शशिप्रभोज्ज्वलम्
Better indeed is that dust of Kāśī, radiant as moonlight, pure, and destroying passion and darkness.
न देवलोको न च सत्यलोको न नागलोको मणिकर्णिकायाः
Neither the world of the gods, nor the world of truth, nor the world of serpents equals Maṇikarṇikā.
महामहोभूर्मणिकर्णिकास्थली तमस्ततिर्यत्र समेति संक्षयम्
The great and sacred ground of Maṇikarṇikā is where all darkness and ignorance meet their end.
किमु निर्वाणपदस्य भद्रपीठं मृदुलं तल्पमथोनुमोक्षलक्ष्म्याः
What then of the blessed seat of liberation, the gentle couch, or the fortune of final release?
समतीतविमुक्तजंतुसंख्या क्रियते यत्र जनैः सुखोपविष्टैः
There, the number of beings who have attained liberation is reckoned by those happily seated.
पुनर्विज्ञापयामास काशीप्राप्त्यै पिनाकिनम्
Again, she petitioned Pinākin for the attainment of Kāśī.
श्रीपार्वत्युवाच प्रमथाधिप सर्वेश नित्यस्वाधीनवर्तन
Śrī Pārvatī said: O Lord of the Pramathas, Lord of all, ever abiding in your own sovereignty,
स्कन्द उवाच जितपीयूषमाधुर्यां काशीस्तवनसुंदरीम् 4.1.44.
Skanda said: The praise of Kāśī, beautiful and surpassing the sweetness of nectar, has been spoken.
श्रीदेवदेव उवाच अयि प्रियतमे गौरि त्वद्वा गमृतसीकरैः
Śrī Devadeva said: O beloved Gaurī, your words are moistened with drops of nectar.
त्वं जानासि महादेवि मम यत्तन्महद्व्रतम्
You know, O great goddess, that great vow of mine.