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.
अस्मासु वीक्षमाणेषु काकाः कुंडेत्र ये पतन्
As we were watching, the crows that fell into that pool—
हंसतीर्थं तदारभ्य कृत्तिवास समीपतः
From then on, near Kṛttivāsa, it became known as Haṃsatīrtha.
अतीव मलिनात्मानो महामलिन कर्मभिः
Those with extremely impure souls, due to their greatly impure deeds—
काश्यां सदैव वस्तव्यं स्नातव्यं हंसतीर्थके
One should always reside in Kāśī and bathe at Haṃsatīrtha.
काश्यां लिंगान्यनेकानि मुने संति पदेपदे 4.2.68.
O sage, in Kāśī there are countless liṅgas at every step.
कृत्तिवासं समाराध्य भक्तियुक्तेन चेतसा
By worshipping Kṛttivāsa with a mind endowed with devotion,
जपो दानं तपो होमस्तर्पणं देवतार्चनम्
Recitation, charity, austerity, oblation, offering, and worship of the deities—
तीर्थं त्वनादिसंसिद्धमेतत्कलशसंभव
This is a primordial, perfected tīrtha, arisen from a water-pot.
एतानि सिद्धलिंगानिच्छन्नानि स्युर्युगेयुगे
These perfected liṅgas remain hidden in every age.
हंसतीर्थस्य परितो लिंगानामयुतं मुने
Around Haṃsa-tīrtha, O sage, there are ten thousand liṅgas.