इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा तथेत्युक्त्वा च शंकरः
Hearing his words, Śaṃkara replied, 'So be it.'
शृणु पुण्यनिधे दैत्य वरमन्यं सुदुर्लभम्
Listen, O treasure of merit, O Daitya, to another boon, most difficult to obtain.
इदं पुण्यशरीरं ते क्षेत्रेस्मिन्मुक्तिसाधने
This meritorious body of yours, in this field that leads to liberation,
कृत्तिवासेश्वरं नाम महापातकनाशनम्
shall be known as Kṛttivāseśvara, destroyer of great sins.
यावंति संति लिंगानि वाराणस्यां महांत्यपि 4.2.68.
However many liṅgas there are in Vārāṇasī, even the greatest,
मानवानां हितायात्र स्थास्येहं सपरिग्रहः कृतकृत्यो भवेन्मर्त्यः संसारं न विशेत्पुनः
For the welfare of mankind, I shall remain here with my attendants; a mortal who fulfills his duties here will not enter saṃsāra again.
रुद्राः पाशुपताः सिद्धा ऋषयस्तत्त्वचिंतकाः
Rudras, Pāśupatas, Siddhas, and seers who contemplate the truth,
अविमुक्ते स्थिता ये तु मम भक्ता मुमुक्षवः
and those devoted to me, seeking liberation, who dwell in Avimukta,
कृत्तिवासेश्वरे लिंगे स्थास्येहं तदनुग्रहे
I shall remain in the liṅga of Kṛttivāseśvara, bestowing my grace there.
त्रिकालमागमिष्यंति कृत्तिवासे न संशयः
In the future, they will surely come to Kṛttivāsa, without doubt.
सदाचारविनिर्मुक्ताः सत्यशौचपराङ्मुखाः
Freed from good conduct, turning away from truth and purity,
शूद्रान्नसेविनो विप्रा जिह्वाला अतिलालसाः
Brāhmaṇas who eat food of Śūdras, whose tongues are excessively greedy,
कृत्तिवासेश्वरं प्राप्य सर्वपापविवर्जिताः
Upon reaching Kṛttivāseśvara, they become free from all sins.
कृत्तिवासेश्वरं लिंगं सेव्यं काश्यां ततो नरैः
Therefore, men should worship the liṅga of Kṛttivāseśvara in Kāśī.
कृत्तिवासेश्वरे लिंगे लभ्यस्त्वेकेन जन्मना नश्येत्सद्यो विनश्येत कृत्तिवासे श्वरेक्षणात् ।।4.2.68.
By worshipping the liṅga of Kṛttivāseśvara, liberation is attained in a single birth; sins are destroyed instantly, even at a mere glance at Kṛttivāseśvara.
कृत्तिवासेश्वरं लिंगं येर्चयिष्यंति मानवाः
Those men who will worship the liṅga of Kṛttivāseśvara—
अविमुक्तेऽत्र वस्तव्यं जप्तव्यं शतरुद्रियम्
In Avimukta, one should reside here and recite the Śatarudriya hymn.
सप्तकोटिमहारुद्रैः सुजप्तैर्यत्फलं भवेत्
The fruit obtained from well-recited Śatarudriya by seven crore great Rudras—
माघ कृष्णचतुर्दश्यामुपोष्य निशि जागृयात्
On the fourteenth day of the dark half of Māgha, one should fast and remain awake at night.
शुक्लायां पंचदश्यां यश्चैत्र्यां कर्ता महोत्सवम्
Whoever celebrates the great festival on the fifteenth day of the bright half in Caitra—
कथयित्वेति देवेशस्तत्कृत्तिं परिगृह्य च
Having spoken thus, the Lord of the gods accepted that act.
महामहोत्सवो जातस्तस्मिन्नहनि कुंभज
On that day, O son of the pot, a great festival arose.
यत्रच्छत्रीकृतो दैत्यः शूलमारोप्य भूतले
There, the demon was subdued, impaled upon the trident on the earth.
तस्मिन्कुंडे नरः स्नात्वा कृत्वा च पितृतर्पणम्
One who bathes in that pool and offers oblations to the ancestors—
स्कंद उवाच काका हंसत्वमापन्नास्तत्तीर्थस्य प्रभावतः ।। 4.2.68.
Skanda said: By the power of that sacred place, crows attained the form of swans.
एकदा कृत्तिवासे तु चैत्र्यां यात्राऽभवत्पुरा
Once, at Kṛttivāsa, there was a pilgrimage during Caitra.
बहुदेवलकैर्विप्र तं दृष्ट्वा पक्षिणो मिलन्
Many birds, O brāhmaṇa, gathered there, seeing the multitude of gods.
बलिपुष्टैरपुष्टांगा रटतः करटाः कटु
The monkeys, with strong and weak limbs, shrieked harshly.
ते हन्यमाना न्यपतंस्तस्मिन्कुंडे नभोंगणात्
Being struck, they fell from the sky into that pool.
आश्चर्यवंतस्तत्रत्या यात्रायां मिलिता जनाः
The people assembled for the pilgrimage there were amazed.