इति जोषं स्थितं विप्रं प्रत्युवाच नृपोत्तमः
Thus, as the brāhmaṇa remained silent, the best of kings replied to him.
दासोस्मि यज्ञसंभारान्नयमेको शतोऽखिलान्
I am your servant; bring together all the materials for the sacrifice, even a hundred times over.
यदस्ति मेखिलं तत्र सप्तांगेपि भवान्प्रभुः
Whatever I possess, in all seven limbs, you are the master of it.
राज्यं करोमि यद्ब्रह्मन्स्वार्थं तन्न मनागपि
O brāhmaṇa, whatever I do as king is not at all for my own sake.
राज्ञां क्रतुक्रियाभ्योपि तीर्थेभ्योपि समंततः
The performance of sacrifices by kings, and even the holy places, are all equal in every way.
प्रजासंतापजोवह्निर्वज्राग्नेरपि दारुणः
The fire of suffering among the people is more terrible than the thunderbolt or ordinary fire.
यदावभृथसिस्रासुर्भवेयं द्विजसत्तम 4.2.52.
O best of twice-born, when I am about to perform the concluding bath, then—
हवनं ब्राह्मणमुखे यत्करोमि द्विजोत्तम
O best of brāhmaṇas, whatever oblation I offer into the fire is through the mouth of the brāhmaṇa.
अभिलाषेषु सर्वेषु जागर्त्येको हृदीह मे
Of all desires, only one remains awake in my heart here.
अहो अहोभिर्बहुभिः फलितो मे मनोरथः
Ah, after many days and nights, my cherished wish has borne fruit.
एकाग्रमानसो विप्र यज्ञान्विपुलदक्षिणान्
With a mind concentrated, O Brahmin, I have performed sacrifices with abundant gifts.
इति राज्ञो महाबुद्धेर्धर्मशीलस्य भाषितम्
Thus spoke the king of great wisdom, steadfast in righteousness.
साहाय्यं प्राप्य राजर्षेर्दिवोदासस्य पद्मभूः
Having obtained the assistance of the royal sage Divodāsa, the lotus-born one—
अद्यापि होमधूमोघैर्यद्व्याप्तं गगनांतरम्
Even today, the space between the heavens is filled with the smoke of oblations.
तीर्थं दशाश्वमेधाख्यं प्रथितं जगतीतले
The holy place called Daśāśvamedha is renowned upon the earth.
पुरा रुद्रसरो नाम तत्तीर्थं कलशोद्भव
Formerly, that sacred place was known as Rudrasaras, O one born from the pot.
स्वर्धुन्यथ ततः प्राप्ता भगीरथसमागमात् 4.2.52.
Then the celestial river arrived there through the meeting with Bhagiratha.
विधिर्दशाश्वमेधेशं लिंगं संस्थाप्य तत्र वै
Brahmā established there the liṅga called Daśāśvamedheśa.
राज्ञो धर्मरतेस्तस्य च्छिद्रं नावाप किंचन
That king, devoted to righteousness, did not incur any fault.
क्षेत्रप्रभावं विज्ञाय ध्यायन्विश्वेश्वरं शिवम्
Understanding the power of the place, he meditated on Śiva, Lord of the Universe.
परातनुरियं काशी विश्वेशस्येति निश्चितम्
It is certain that this Kāśī is the supreme body of Viśveśvara.
कः प्राप्य काशीं दुर्मेधाः पुनस्त्यक्तुमिहेह ते
Who, having attained Kāśī, O dull-minded one, would wish to abandon it here?
विश्वसंतापसंहर्तुः स्थाने विश्वपतेस्तनुः
This is the abode of the Lord of the Universe, the form that removes all suffering.
प्राप्य काशीं त्यजेद्यस्तु समस्ताघौघनाशिनीम्
Whoever, having reached Kāśī—which destroys all heaps of sin—should abandon it,
निर्वाणलक्ष्मीं यः कांक्षेत्त्यक्त्वा संसारदुर्गतिम्
He who, desiring the fortune of liberation, abandons the difficult path of saṃsāra—
यः काशीं संपरित्यज्य गच्छेदन्यत्र दुर्मतिः
He who, having completely abandoned Kāśī, goes elsewhere is truly of misguided mind.
निबर्हणी मधौघस्य सुपुण्य परिबृंहिणीम् 4.2.52.
It is the remover of the flood of delusion, greatly meritorious, and bestows abundant increase.
सत्यलोके क्व तत्सौख्यं क्व सौख्यं वैष्णवे पदे
In the world of truth, where is that happiness, and where is the happiness in the abode of Vishnu?
वाराणसीगुणगणान्निर्णीय द्रुहिणस्त्विति
Having discerned the multitude of virtues in Varanasi, Brahma thus declared.
दशाश्वमेधिकं प्राप्य सर्वतीर्थोत्तमोत्तमम्
Having attained the merit equal to ten Ashvamedha sacrifices, and the highest among all sacred fords,