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.
एकैकं सिद्धिदं नृणामविमुक्तनिवासिनाम्
Each one grants success to the people dwelling in Avimukta.
लोमशेशं महालिंगं लोमशेन प्रतिष्ठितम्
The great liṅga called Lomaśeśa was established by Lomaśa.
मालतीशं शुभं लिंगं कृत्तिवासोत्तरे महत्
The auspicious liṅga Mālatīśa, great and north of Kṛttivāsa,
अंतकेश्वर संज्ञं च लिंगं तद्रुद्रदिक्स्थितम्
And the liṅga named Aṃtakeśvara is situated in the direction of Rudra.
जनकेशं महालिंगं तत्पार्श्वे ज्ञानदं परम् 4.2.68.
The great liṅga Janakeśa, supreme and bestowing knowledge, is beside it.
तदुत्तरे महामूर्तिरसितांगोस्ति भैरवः
To the north of that, there is the great form of Bhairava with a dark body.
शुष्कोदरी च तत्रास्ति देवी विकटलोचना
There too is Śuṣkodarī, the goddess with fierce eyes.
अग्निजिह्वोस्ति वेतालस्तस्या देव्यास्तु नैर्ऋते
There is Agnijihva, the Vetāla, in the southwest of that goddess.
वेतालकुंडं तत्रास्ति सर्वव्याधिविघातकृत्
There is Vetālakuṇḍa, which destroys all diseases.
वेतालकुंडे सुस्नातो वेतालं प्रणिपत्य च
One who bathes well in Vetālakuṇḍa and bows to Vetāla,