पुनः पप्रच्छ विश्वेशं प्रबद्धकरसंपुटा
Again she questioned the Lord of the Universe, her hands joined in respectful salutation.
अन्यत्र ये व्रतं चैतत्करिष्यंति सदाशिव
Elsewhere, those who perform this vow, O Sadashiva,
वाराणस्यां समर्च्या त्वं विश्वे प्रत्यक्षरूपिणी
In Varanasi, you are to be worshipped, O universal one, in your manifest form.
आशा विघ्नजिता सार्धं सर्वाशापूर्तिकारिणा
With Vighnajit and the fulfiller of all desires together,
क्षिप्रमागमयित्वा च नत्वा दूरंगतानपि
Having quickly brought even those who are far away and bowed to them,
अन्यत्र व्रतिभिर्विश्वे कांचनीप्रतिमा तव
Elsewhere, by the vow-performers, O universal one, a golden image of you
आचार्याय व्रती दद्याद् व्रतांते प्रतिमा द्वयम् 4.2.80.
At the end of the vow, the votary should give two images to the teacher.
ततः पुलोमजा देवि श्रुत्वैतद्व्रतमुत्तमम्
Then, O goddess, Puloma's daughter, having heard of this supreme vow,
अरुंधत्या वसिष्ठोपि लब्धोऽत्रिऽनसूयया
Vasishtha was obtained by Arundhati, and Atri by Anasuya.
सुनीतेदुर्भर्गत्वं च पुनरस्माद्व्रताद्गतम्
Suniti too attained freedom from misfortune again through this vow.
किं बहूक्तेन सुश्रोणि कृतंयेन व्रतं त्विदम्
Why speak at length, O lovely-hipped one? Whoever has performed this vow,
श्रुत्वा धीमान्कथां पुण्यां पुनस्तद्गतमानसः
Having heard this sacred story, the wise one, with mind again absorbed in it,
स्कंद देव्यै समाख्यातं तदाख्याहि कृपां कुरु
O Skanda, tell the goddess what has been related; show your compassion.
आकर्णय महाप्राज्ञ यथा देवेन भाषितम्
Listen, O greatly wise one, to what was spoken by the god.
वृत्रं निहत्य वृत्रारिर्ब्रह्महत्यामवाप्तवान्
Having slain Vritra, the enemy of Vritra incurred the sin of killing a Brahmin.
अपानुनुत्सुस्तद्याहि काशीं विश्वेशपालिताम्
To remove that, he went to Kashi, protected by the Lord of All.
नान्यत्किंचित्क्वचिद्दृष्टं ब्रह्महत्यामहौषधम्
Nowhere has any remedy for the sin of killing a Brahmin been seen.
भैरवस्यापिहस्ताग्रादपतद्वैधसं शिरः
Even from Bhairava’s very hand, the severed head of the Brahmin fell.
सीमानमपि संप्राप्य शक्रानंदवनस्य हि
Having reached even the boundary of Indra’s pleasure-grove,
अन्येषामपि पापानां महापापजुषामपि
For other sins as well, even for those who have committed great sins,
महापातकतो मुक्तिः काश्यामे व शतक्रतो
There is liberation from the greatest sins in Kāśī, O slayer of Vṛtra.
निर्वाणनगरी काशी काशी सर्वाघसंघहृत् ।। 4.2.81.
Kāśī is the city of liberation; Kāśī removes all masses of sin.
ब्रह्महत्याभयं यस्य यस्य संसारतो भयम्
Whoever has fear of Brahmin-murder, whoever has fear of worldly existence,
जंतूनां कर्मबीजानां यत्र देहविसर्जने
For living beings, whose bodies are the seeds of karma, at the time of death,
तां काशीं प्राप्य वृत्रारे वृत्रहत्यापनुत्तये
Having reached that Kāśī, O slayer of Vṛtra, for the removal of the sin of killing Vṛtra,
बृहस्पतेरिति वचो निशम्य स सहस्रदृक्
Hearing these words of Bṛhaspati, the thousand-eyed one,
स्नात्वोत्तरवहायां च धर्मेशं परितः स्थितः
Having bathed in the northern current, he stood around the Lord of Dharma.
महारुद्रजपासक्तः सुत्रामाथ त्रिलोचनम्
Absorbed in reciting the great Rudra hymns, he then praised the three-eyed one.
पुनस्तुष्टाव वेदोक्तै रुद्रसूक्तैरनेकधा
Again and again he praised Rudra with Vedic hymns, in many ways.
शचीपते प्रसन्नोस्मि वरं वरय सुव्रत
O lord of Śacī, I am pleased; choose a boon, O steadfast one.