दृष्ट्वा भूदेवताः शंभुं किमाचख्युः षडानन
O Six-faced One, what did the earthly deities say upon seeing Śaṃbhu?
ज्येष्ठस्थाने महापुण्ये देवदेवस्य वल्लभे
At the most eminent and supremely holy place, beloved of the Lord of gods,
मंदराद्रिं यदा देवो गतवान्ब्रह्मगौरवात्
When the Lord went to Mount Mandara out of reverence for Brahma,
तदा निराश्रया विप्राः क्षेत्रसंन्यासिनोनघाः
Then the Brahmins, without refuge, renounced the field and were pure.
खातंखातं च दंडाग्रैर्भूमिं कंदादिवृत्तयः
They dug and dug the earth with the tips of their staffs, living on roots and similar fare.
तत्तीर्थं परितः स्थाप्य महालिंगान्यनेकशः
They established many great liṅgas all around that sacred place.
विभूतिधारिणो नित्यं नित्यरुद्राक्षधारिणः
Always bearing sacred ash and ever wearing rudrākṣa beads,
ते श्रुत्वा देवदेवस्य पुनरागमनं मुने
Having heard of the Lord of gods' return, those sages,
द्विजाः पंचसहस्राणि चरतो विपुलं तपः
Five thousand twice-born ones practiced intense austerity.
तीर्थान्मंदाकिनी नाम्नो द्विजाः पाशुपतव्रताः 4.2.64.
From the tīrtha named Maṇḍākinī, the twice-born ones, observing the Pāśupata vow,
हंसतीर्थात्परिप्राप्ता अयुतं त्रिशतोत्तरम्
Arrived from Haṃsatīrtha, numbering ten thousand and three hundred.
मत्स्योदर्याः परापेतुः सहस्राणि षडेव हि
From Matsyodara, six thousand departed.
ऋणमोचनतस्तीर्थात्सहस्रं द्विशताधिकम्
From Ṛṇamocana tīrtha, a thousand and two hundred more.
ततः पृथूदकात्कुंडात्पृथुना परिखानितात्
Then, from Pṛthūdaka kuṇḍa, excavated by Pṛthu,
तथैवाप्सरसः कुंडान्मेनकाख्याच्छतद्वयम्
In the same way, from the Menaka pond of the Apsaras, a hundred and six emerged.
तथैरावतकुंडाच्च ब्राह्मणास्त्रिशतानि च
And from the Airavata pond, three hundred Brahmins also came forth.
वृषेशतीर्थादाजग्मुर्नवतिः सशतत्रया
From the Vṛṣaśatīrtha, ninety together with three hundred arrived.
लक्ष्मीतीर्थात्परं जग्मुः षोडशैव शतानि च
From the Lakṣmī tīrtha, then, exactly sixteen hundred proceeded.
पितृकुंडाच्छतंसाग्रं ध्रुवतीर्थाच्छतानि षट्
From the Pitṛkuṇḍa, a hundred and more, and from the Dhruva tīrtha, six hundred.
ब्राह्मणा वासुकिहृदात्सहस्राणि दशैव तु 4.2.64.
Ten thousand Brahmins, indeed, from the heart of Vāsuki.
काशीनाथमनुप्राप्ताः परमानंददायिनम्
They reached Kāśīnātha, the bestower of supreme joy.
तीर्थाद्दुर्गतिसंहर्तुर्बाह्मणाः प्रतिपेदिरे
The Brahmins attained the tīrtha of the remover of misfortune.
असीसंभेदमारभ्य गंगातीरस्थिता द्विजाः
Beginning from Asīsaṃbheda, the twice-born standing on the bank of the Gaṅgā—
अष्टादशसहस्राणि तथा पंचशतान्यपि
Eighteen thousand and five hundred as well.
सार्द्रदूर्वाक्षतकरैः सपुष्पफलपाणिभिः
With hands holding wet dūrvā grass, rice grains, flowers, and fruits,
स्तुतो मंगलसूक्तैश्च प्रणतश्च पुनःपुनः
Praised with auspicious hymns and bowed again and again,
ततस्ते ब्राह्मणाः प्रोचुः प्रबद्धकरसंपुटाः
Then those Brahmins spoke, with their hands joined in reverence:
विशेषतः कृतोऽस्माभिः साक्षान्नयनगोचरः
Especially by us, you have been made directly visible to our eyes.
सदैवाकुशलं तेषां ये त्वत्क्षेत्रपराङ्मुखाः
There is always misfortune for those who turn away from your field.
येषां हृदि सदैवास्ते काशीत्वाशीविषां गद 4.2.64.
But those in whose hearts Kāśī always abides, for them the poison of serpents is but a disease.