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.
श्रुत्वेति देवदेवस्य स प्रेमवचनं हरिः
Hearing these loving words of the god of gods, Hari,
ततस्तत्कृपयानुन्नो धर्मपीठनिषेवणात् 4.2.81.
Then, being moved by his compassion and by service at the seat of Dharma,
तत्रेंद्रः स्नानमात्रेण दिव्यगंधोऽभवत्क्षणात्
There, by merely bathing, Indra instantly became fragrant with divine scent.
तदाश्चर्यमथो दृष्ट्वा मुनयो नारदादयः
Then, seeing this wonder, the sages, beginning with Nārada,
अतर्पयन्पितॄन्दिव्यान्व्यधुः श्राद्धानि श्रद्धया
They satisfied the divine ancestors by performing śrāddha rites with faith.
तदा प्रभृति तत्तीर्थं धर्मांधुरिति विश्रुतम्
From that time onward, that sacred place became renowned as Dharmāṃdhura.
यत्फलं तीर्थराजस्य स्नानेन परिकीर्त्यते
The fruit that is proclaimed to result from bathing at the king of sacred fords—
गंगाद्वारे कुरुक्षेत्रे गंगासागरसंगमे
—at Gaṅgādvāra, Kurukṣetra, or the confluence of Gaṅgā and the ocean,
नर्मदायां सरस्वत्यां गौतम्यां सिंहगे गुरौ
—at Narmadā, Sarasvatī, Gautamī, Siṃhagā, or at Guru,
मानसे पुष्करे चैव द्वारिके सागरे तथा
—at Mānasasaras, Puṣkara, Dvārakā, or at the ocean as well,
कार्तिक्यां सूकरक्षेत्रे चैत्र्यां गौरीमहाह्रदे
—in Kārtika at Sūkara Kṣetra, in Caitra at the great lake of Gaurī—
तीर्थद्वयं प्रतीक्षंते सिस्नासून्पितरो नरान् 4.2.81.
—the ancestors await those men who wish to bathe at these two sacred fords.
पितामहसमीपे वा धर्मेशस्याग्रतोथ वा
Whether near the grandsire or before the Lord of Dharma,
धर्मकूपे नरः स्नात्वा परितर्प्य पितामहान्
A man, having bathed in the well of Dharma and satisfied the grandfathers,
यथा गयायां तृप्ताः स्युः पिंडदाने पितामहाः
—just as the grandfathers are satisfied by the offering of piṇḍa at Gayā—
ते धन्याः पितृभक्तास्ते प्रीणितास्तैः पितामहाः
Those devoted to the ancestors are blessed; by them the grandfathers are pleased.
तत्तीर्थस्य प्रभावेण निष्पापोभूत्क्षणेन च
By the power of that sacred ford, one becomes free from sin in an instant.
अपारो महिमा तस्य धर्मतीर्थस्य कुंभज
O Kuṃbhaja, the greatness of that Dharma-tīrtha is boundless.
तत्रापि काकिणी मात्रं यच्छेत्पितृमुदे नरः
Even if a man gives as little as a kākiṇī there for the joy of the ancestors,
तत्र यो भोजयेद्विप्रान्यतिनोथ तपस्विनः
Whoever feeds Brāhmaṇas, the poor, or ascetics there—