The Greatness of the Kashi Vishveshvara Jyotirlinga

Verse 1 (shiva.kotirudra.23.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । एवं वाराणसी पुण्या यदि सूत महापुरी । तत्प्रभावं वदास्माकमविमुक्तस्य च प्रभो ॥ 23.1 ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ evaṁ vārāṇasī puṇyā yadi sūta mahāpurī tatprabhāvaṁ vadāsmākamavimuktasya ca prabho

The sages said: O Suta, if Varanasi is thus so sacred a great city, then, O lord, tell us also of the power of Avimukta.

Verse 2 (shiva.kotirudra.23.2)

सूत उवाच । वक्ष्ये सङ्क्षेपतः सम्यग्वाराणस्याः सुशोभनम् । विश्वेश्वरस्य माहात्म्यं श्रूयतां च मुनीश्वराः ॥ 23.2 ॥

sūta uvāca vakṣye saṅkṣepataḥ samyagvārāṇasyāḥ suśobhanam viśveśvarasya māhātmyaṁ śrūyatāṁ ca munīśvarāḥ

Suta said: I shall relate concisely and fully the beautiful greatness of Vishveshvara at Varanasi; listen, O lords of sages.

Verse 3 (shiva.kotirudra.23.3)

कदाचित्पार्वती देवी शङ्करं परया मुदा । लोककामनयापृच्छन्माहात्म्यमविमुक्तयोः ॥ 23.3 ॥

kadācitpārvatī devī śaṅkaraṁ parayā mudā lokakāmanayāpṛcchanmāhātmyamavimuktayoḥ

Once the goddess Parvati, with the greatest delight and desiring the world's welfare, asked Shankara about the greatness of Avimukta.

Verse 4 (shiva.kotirudra.23.4)

पार्वत्युवाच । अस्य क्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यं वक्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः । ममोपरि कृपां कृत्वा लोकानां हितकाम्यया ॥ 23.4 ॥

pārvatyuvāca asya kṣetrasya māhātmyaṁ vaktumarhasyaśeṣataḥ mamopari kṛpāṁ kṛtvā lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā

Parvati said: Showing grace upon me, and out of desire for the world's welfare, you are fit to tell in full the greatness of this sacred field.

Verse 5 (shiva.kotirudra.23.5)

सूत उवाच । देव्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवदेवो जगत्प्रभुः । प्रत्युवाच भवानीं तां जीवानां प्रियहेतवे ॥ 23.5 ॥

sūta uvāca devyāstadvacanaṁ śrutvā devadevo jagatprabhuḥ pratyuvāca bhavānīṁ tāṁ jīvānāṁ priyahetave

Suta said: Hearing the goddess's words, the god of gods, lord of the universe, replied to that Bhavani, for the good of all living beings.

Verse 6 (shiva.kotirudra.23.6)

परमेश्वर उवाच । साधु पृष्टं त्वया भद्रे लोकानां सुखदं शुभम् । कथयामि यथार्थं वै माहात्म्यमविमुक्तयोः ॥ 23.6 ॥

parameśvara uvāca sādhu pṛṣṭaṁ tvayā bhadre lokānāṁ sukhadaṁ śubham kathayāmi yathārthaṁ vai māhātmyamavimuktayoḥ

Parameshvara said: O gracious one, you have asked well this auspicious question that brings joy to all beings; I shall now tell truly the greatness of Avimukta.

Verse 7 (shiva.kotirudra.23.7)

इदं गुह्यतमं क्षेत्रं सदा वाराणसी मम । सर्वेषामेव जन्तूना हेतुर्मोक्षस्य सर्वथा ॥ 23.7 ॥

idaṁ guhyatamaṁ kṣetraṁ sadā vārāṇasī mama sarveṣāmeva jantūnā heturmokṣasya sarvathā

This Varanasi is ever my most secret sacred field, the cause of liberation for all beings in every way.

Verse 8 (shiva.kotirudra.23.8)

अस्मिन्सिद्धाः सदा क्षेत्रे मदीयं व्रतमाश्रिताः । नानालिङ्गधरा नित्यं मम लोकाभिकाङ्क्षिणः ॥ 23.8 ॥

asminsiddhāḥ sadā kṣetre madīyaṁ vratamāśritāḥ nānāliṅgadharā nityaṁ mama lokābhikāṅkṣiṇaḥ

In this sacred field, siddhas ever dwell, resorting to my vow, bearing the various signs of my worship, ever longing for my world.

Verse 9 (shiva.kotirudra.23.9)

अभ्यस्यन्ति महायोगं जितात्मानो जितेन्द्रियाः । परं पाशुपतं श्रौतं भुक्तिमुक्तिफलप्रदम् ॥ 23.9 ॥

abhyasyanti mahāyogaṁ jitātmāno jitendriyāḥ paraṁ pāśupataṁ śrautaṁ bhuktimuktiphalapradam

Self-controlled and masters of their senses, they practice there the great yoga, the supreme Pashupata discipline taught in the Shruti, which bestows the fruit of both enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 10 (shiva.kotirudra.23.10)

रोचते मे सदा वासो वाराणस्यां महेश्वरि । हेतुना येन सर्वाणि विहाय शृणु तद् ध्रुवम् ॥ 23.10 ॥

rocate me sadā vāso vārāṇasyāṁ maheśvari hetunā yena sarvāṇi vihāya śṛṇu tad dhruvam

O great goddess, dwelling in Varanasi is ever dear to me; hear now truly the reason for which I have forsaken all other places for this one.

Verse 11 (shiva.kotirudra.23.11)

यो मे भक्तश्च विज्ञानी तावुभौ मुक्तिभागिनौ । तीर्थापेक्षा च न तयोर्विहिताविहिते समौ ॥ 23.11 ॥

yo me bhaktaśca vijñānī tāvubhau muktibhāginau tīrthāpekṣā ca na tayorvihitāvihite samau

Both my devotee and the man of true knowledge are fit for liberation; neither of them has need of any pilgrimage, for enjoined and unenjoined acts are alike to them.

Verse 12 (shiva.kotirudra.23.12)

जीवन्मुक्तौ तु तौ ज्ञेयौ यत्र कुत्रापि वै मृतौ । प्राप्नुतो मोक्षमाश्वेव मयोक्तं निश्चितं वचः ॥ 23.12 ॥

jīvanmuktau tu tau jñeyau yatra kutrāpi vai mṛtau prāpnuto mokṣamāśveva mayoktaṁ niścitaṁ vacaḥ

Both are to be known as liberated even while living; wherever they may die, they attain liberation at once — this is my certain word.

Verse 13 (shiva.kotirudra.23.13)

अत्र तीर्थे विशेषोऽस्त्यविमुक्ताख्ये परोत्तमे । श्रूयतां तत्त्वया देवि परशक्ते सुचित्तया ॥ 23.13 ॥

atra tīrthe viśeṣo’styavimuktākhye parottame śrūyatāṁ tattvayā devi paraśakte sucittayā

But in this most excellent sacred site called Avimukta there is a special distinction; O goddess, O supreme power, hear it with an attentive mind.

Verse 14 (shiva.kotirudra.23.14)

सर्वे वर्णा आश्रमाश्च बालयौवनवार्धकाः । अस्यां पुर्यां म्रुताश्चेत्स्युर्मुक्ता एव न संशयः ॥ 23.14 ॥

sarve varṇā āśramāśca bālayauvanavārdhakāḥ asyāṁ puryāṁ mrutāścetsyurmuktā eva na saṁśayaḥ

People of every caste and stage of life, whether child, youth, or elder — if they die in this city, they are without doubt liberated.

Verse 15 (shiva.kotirudra.23.15)

अशुचिश्च शुचिर्वापि कन्या परिणता तथा । विधवा वाथ वा वन्ध्या रजोदोषयुतापि वा ॥ 23.15 ॥

aśuciśca śucirvāpi kanyā pariṇatā tathā vidhavā vātha vā vandhyā rajodoṣayutāpi vā

Whether impure or pure, whether an unmarried girl or a married woman, whether a widow or barren, or one afflicted by the impurity of menses —

Verse 16 (shiva.kotirudra.23.16)

प्रसूतासंस्कृता कापि यादृशी तादृशी द्विजाः । अत्र क्षेत्रे मृता चेत्स्यान्मोक्षभाङ्नात्र संशयः ॥ 23.16 ॥

prasūtāsaṁskṛtā kāpi yādṛśī tādṛśī dvijāḥ atra kṣetre mṛtā cetsyānmokṣabhāṅnātra saṁśayaḥ

whether recently delivered or lacking the sacraments — O brahmins, whatever woman she may be, if she dies in this sacred field, she becomes, without doubt, fit for liberation.

Verse 17 (shiva.kotirudra.23.17)

स्वेदजश्चाण्डजो वापि ह्युद्भिज्जोऽथ जरायुजः । मृतो मोक्षमवाप्नोति यथात्र न तथा क्वचित् ॥ 23.17 ॥

svedajaścāṇḍajo vāpi hyudbhijjo’tha jarāyujaḥ mṛto mokṣamavāpnoti yathātra na tathā kvacit

Whether born of sweat, of an egg, of the earth, or from a womb — whatever being dies here attains liberation in a manner unmatched anywhere else.

Verse 18 (shiva.kotirudra.23.18)

ज्ञानापेक्षा न चात्रैव भक्त्यपेक्षा न वै पुनः । कर्मापेक्षा न देव्यत्र दानापेक्षा न चैव हि ॥ 23.18 ॥

jñānāpekṣā na cātraiva bhaktyapekṣā na vai punaḥ karmāpekṣā na devyatra dānāpekṣā na caiva hi

O goddess, here there is need neither of knowledge, nor of devotion, nor of ritual action, nor even of charity.

Verse 19 (shiva.kotirudra.23.19)

संस्कृत्यपेक्षा नैवात्र ध्यानापेक्षा न कर्हिचित् । नामापेक्षार्चनापेक्षा सुजातीनां तथात्र न ॥ 23.19 ॥

saṁskṛtyapekṣā naivātra dhyānāpekṣā na karhicit nāmāpekṣārcanāpekṣā sujātīnāṁ tathātra na

Here there is need neither of sacraments nor ever of meditation; nor is there need of a name, of worship, or of being born into a high caste.

Verse 20 (shiva.kotirudra.23.20)

मम क्षेत्रे मोक्षदे हि यो वा वसति मानवः । यथा तथा मृतः स्याच्चेन्मोक्षमाप्नोति निश्चितम् ॥ 23.20 ॥

mama kṣetre mokṣade hi yo vā vasati mānavaḥ yathā tathā mṛtaḥ syāccenmokṣamāpnoti niścitam

Whatever human being dwells in this liberation-granting field of mine — however he dies — he certainly attains liberation.

Verse 21 (shiva.kotirudra.23.21)

एतन्मम पुरं दिव्यं गुह्याद् गुह्यतरं प्रिये । ब्रह्मादयोऽपि जानन्ति माहात्म्यं नास्य पार्वति ॥ 23.21 ॥

etanmama puraṁ divyaṁ guhyād guhyataraṁ priye brahmādayo’pi jānanti māhātmyaṁ nāsya pārvati

O beloved, this divine city of mine is more secret than the most secret; O Parvati, not even Brahma and the other gods fully know its greatness.

Verse 22 (shiva.kotirudra.23.22)

महत्क्षेत्रमिदं तस्मादविमुक्तमिति स्मृतम् । सर्वेभ्यो नैमिषादिभ्यः परं मोक्षप्रदं मृते ॥ 23.22 ॥

mahatkṣetramidaṁ tasmādavimuktamiti smṛtam sarvebhyo naimiṣādibhyaḥ paraṁ mokṣapradaṁ mṛte

Therefore this great sacred field is remembered by the name Avimukta; surpassing all sites such as Naimisha, it bestows supreme liberation upon death.

Verse 23 (shiva.kotirudra.23.23)

धर्मस्योपनिषत्सत्यं मोक्षस्योपनिषत्समम् । क्षेत्रतीर्थोपनिषदमविमुक्तं विदुर्बुधाः ॥ 23.23 ॥

dharmasyopaniṣatsatyaṁ mokṣasyopaniṣatsamam kṣetratīrthopaniṣadamavimuktaṁ vidurbudhāḥ

Truth is the secret essence of dharma, equanimity the secret essence of liberation; the wise know Avimukta to be the secret essence of every sacred field and pilgrimage site.

Verse 24 (shiva.kotirudra.23.24)

कामं भुञ्जन्स्वपन्क्रीडन्कुर्वन्हि विविधाः क्रियाः । अविमुक्ते त्यजन्प्राणाञ्जन्तुर्मोक्षाय कल्पते ॥ 23.24 ॥

kāmaṁ bhuñjansvapankrīḍankurvanhi vividhāḥ kriyāḥ avimukte tyajanprāṇāñjanturmokṣāya kalpate

Whether enjoying pleasures, sleeping, playing, or performing various actions — a being who gives up his life at Avimukta becomes fit for liberation.

Verse 25 (shiva.kotirudra.23.25)

कृत्वा पापसहस्राणि पिशाचत्वं वरं नृणाम् । न च क्रतुसहस्रत्वं स्वर्गे काशीं पुरीं विना ॥ 23.25 ॥

kṛtvā pāpasahasrāṇi piśācatvaṁ varaṁ nṛṇām na ca kratusahasratvaṁ svarge kāśīṁ purīṁ vinā

Even to become a ghostly spirit — for those who have committed a thousand sins — is better for people, if it happens at Kashi, than attaining heaven through a thousand sacrifices performed without the city of Kashi.

Verse 26 (shiva.kotirudra.23.26)

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन सेव्यते काशिका पुरी । अव्यक्तलिङ्गं मुनिभिर्ध्यायते च सदाशिवः ॥ 23.26 ॥

tasmātsarvaprayatnena sevyate kāśikā purī avyaktaliṅgaṁ munibhirdhyāyate ca sadāśivaḥ

Therefore the city of Kashi should be served with every effort; the sages meditate there upon Sadashiva in his unmanifest linga-form.

Verse 27 (shiva.kotirudra.23.27)

यद्यत्फलं समुद्दिश्य तपन्त्यत्र नराः प्रिये । तेभ्यश्चाहं प्रयच्छामि सम्यक्तत्तत्फलं ध्रुवम् ॥ 23.27 ॥

yadyatphalaṁ samuddiśya tapantyatra narāḥ priye tebhyaścāhaṁ prayacchāmi samyaktattatphalaṁ dhruvam

O beloved, whatever fruit people aim for when they perform austerity here, I duly grant them that very fruit without fail.

Verse 28 (shiva.kotirudra.23.28)

सायुज्यमात्मनः पश्चादीप्सितं स्थानमेव च । न कुतश्चित्कर्मबन्धस्त्यजतामत्र वै तनुम् ॥ 23.28 ॥

sāyujyamātmanaḥ paścādīpsitaṁ sthānameva ca na kutaścitkarmabandhastyajatāmatra vai tanum

And thereafter they attain union with my own nature, or whatever abode they desired; for those who give up the body here, there remains no bondage of karma whatsoever.

Verse 29 (shiva.kotirudra.23.29)

ब्रह्मा देवर्षिभिः सार्धं विष्णुर्वापि दिवाकरः । उपासते महात्मानः सर्वे मामिह चापरे ॥ 23.29 ॥

brahmā devarṣibhiḥ sārdhaṁ viṣṇurvāpi divākaraḥ upāsate mahātmānaḥ sarve māmiha cāpare

Brahma, together with the divine sages, and Vishnu, and the sun-god as well — all these great souls, and others besides, worship me here.

Verse 30 (shiva.kotirudra.23.30)

विषयासक्तचित्तोऽपि त्यक्तधर्मरुचिर्नरः । इह क्षेत्रे मृतो यो वै संसारं न पुनर्विशेत् ॥ 23.30 ॥

viṣayāsaktacitto’pi tyaktadharmarucirnaraḥ iha kṣetre mṛto yo vai saṁsāraṁ na punarviśet

Even a man whose mind is attached to worldly pleasures and who has abandoned all taste for dharma — if he dies in this sacred field, he does not enter worldly existence again.

Verse 31 (shiva.kotirudra.23.31)

किं पुनर्निर्ममा धीराः सत्त्वस्था दम्भवर्जिताः । कृतिनश्च निरारम्भाः सर्वे ते मयि भाविताः ॥ 23.31 ॥

kiṁ punarnirmamā dhīrāḥ sattvasthā dambhavarjitāḥ kṛtinaśca nirārambhāḥ sarve te mayi bhāvitāḥ

What then need be said of those steadfast souls, free of attachment, established in goodness, free of hypocrisy, accomplished, and free of worldly undertaking — all of them are absorbed in me alone.

Verse 32 (shiva.kotirudra.23.32)

जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु जन्म योगी समाप्नुयात् । तदिहैव परं मोक्षं मरणादधिगच्छति ॥ 23.32 ॥

janmāntarasahasreṣu janma yogī samāpnuyāt tadihaiva paraṁ mokṣaṁ maraṇādadhigacchati

The attainment a yogi reaches only after a thousand rebirths, that same supreme liberation is attained here by mere death alone.

Verse 33 (shiva.kotirudra.23.33)

अत्र लिङ्गान्यनेकानि भक्तैः संस्थापितानि हि । सर्वकामप्रदानीह मोक्षदानि च पार्वति ॥ 23.33 ॥

atra liṅgānyanekāni bhaktaiḥ saṁsthāpitāni hi sarvakāmapradānīha mokṣadāni ca pārvati

O Parvati, here many lingas have been established by devotees, all of them fulfilling every desire and granting liberation.

Verse 34 (shiva.kotirudra.23.34)

पञ्चक्रोशं चतुर्द्दिक्षु क्षेत्रमेतत्प्रकीर्तितम् । समन्ताच्च तथा जन्तोर्मृतिकालेऽमृतप्रदम् ॥ 23.34 ॥

pañcakrośaṁ caturddikṣu kṣetrametatprakīrtitam samantācca tathā jantormṛtikāle’mṛtapradam

This sacred field is declared to extend five kroshas in every direction; everywhere within it, it bestows immortality upon a being at the time of death.

Verse 35 (shiva.kotirudra.23.35)

अपापश्च मृतो यो वै सद्यो मोक्षं समश्नुते । सपापश्च मृतो यः स्यात्कायव्यूहान्समश्नुते ॥ 23.35 ॥

apāpaśca mṛto yo vai sadyo mokṣaṁ samaśnute sapāpaśca mṛto yaḥ syātkāyavyūhānsamaśnute

Whoever dies free of sin attains liberation at once; whoever dies burdened with sin passes through a succession of bodies.

Verse 36 (shiva.kotirudra.23.36)

यातनां सोऽनुभूयैव पश्चान्मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् । पातकं योऽविमुक्ताख्ये क्षेत्रेऽस्मिन्कुरुते ध्रुवम् ॥ 23.36 ॥

yātanāṁ so’nubhūyaiva paścānmokṣamavāpnuyāt pātakaṁ yo’vimuktākhye kṣetre’sminkurute dhruvam

Only after experiencing that suffering does he attain liberation at last; and whoever commits a sin within this sacred field called Avimukta must surely undergo the following —

Verse 37 (shiva.kotirudra.23.37)

भैरवीं यातनां प्राप्य वर्षाणामयुते पुनः । ततो मोक्षमवाप्नोति भुक्त्वा पापं च सुन्दरि ॥ 23.37 ॥

bhairavīṁ yātanāṁ prāpya varṣāṇāmayute punaḥ tato mokṣamavāpnoti bhuktvā pāpaṁ ca sundari

O beautiful one, he undergoes the terrible torment of Bhairava for ten thousand years, and only after his sin has thus been exhausted does he attain liberation.

Verse 38 (shiva.kotirudra.23.38)

इति ते च समाख्याता पापाचारे च या गतिः । एवं ज्ञात्वा नरः सम्यक्सेवयेदविमुक्तकम् ॥ 23.38 ॥

iti te ca samākhyātā pāpācāre ca yā gatiḥ evaṁ jñātvā naraḥ samyaksevayedavimuktakam

Thus I have told you the fate that befalls sinful conduct; knowing this well, a man should devotedly serve Avimukta.

Verse 39 (shiva.kotirudra.23.39)

कृतकर्मक्षयो नास्ति कल्पकोटिशतैरपि । अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् ॥ 23.39 ॥

kṛtakarmakṣayo nāsti kalpakoṭiśatairapi avaśyameva bhoktavyaṁ kṛtaṁ karma śubhāśubham

The exhaustion of an action once performed does not occur even in hundreds of millions of aeons; whatever good or evil deed is done must inevitably be experienced.

Verse 40 (shiva.kotirudra.23.40)

केवलं चाशुभं कर्म नरकाय भवेदिह । शुभं स्वर्गाय जायेत द्वाभ्यां मानुष्यमीरितम् ॥ 23.40 ॥

kevalaṁ cāśubhaṁ karma narakāya bhavediha śubhaṁ svargāya jāyeta dvābhyāṁ mānuṣyamīritam

Evil action alone here becomes the cause of hell, and good action becomes the cause of heaven; from a mixture of the two, birth as a human being is said to arise.

Verse 41 (shiva.kotirudra.23.41)

जन्म सम्यगसम्यक् च न्यूनाधिक्ये भवेदिह । उभयोश्च क्षयो मुक्तिर्भवेत्सत्यं हि पार्वति ॥ 23.41 ॥

janma samyagasamyak ca nyūnādhikye bhavediha ubhayośca kṣayo muktirbhavetsatyaṁ hi pārvati

Here a good or bad birth arises according to the relative excess of good or evil; O Parvati, it is when both are exhausted that liberation truly comes.

Verse 42 (shiva.kotirudra.23.42)

कर्म च त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं कर्मकाण्डे महेश्वरि । सञ्चितं क्रियमाणं च प्रारब्धं चेति बन्धकृत् ॥ 23.42 ॥

karma ca trividhaṁ proktaṁ karmakāṇḍe maheśvari sañcitaṁ kriyamāṇaṁ ca prārabdhaṁ ceti bandhakṛt

O great goddess, in the science of ritual action, karma is declared to be threefold — accumulated, being performed, and commenced — each a cause of bondage.

Verse 43 (shiva.kotirudra.23.43)

पूर्वजन्मसमुद्भूतं सञ्चितं समुदाहृतम् । भुज्यते च शरीरेण प्रारब्धं परिकीर्तितम् ॥ 23.43 ॥

pūrvajanmasamudbhūtaṁ sañcitaṁ samudāhṛtam bhujyate ca śarīreṇa prārabdhaṁ parikīrtitam

That which arose from previous births is called accumulated karma; and that which is being experienced through this present body is declared to be commenced karma.

Verse 44 (shiva.kotirudra.23.44)

अनेन जन्मना यच्च क्रियते कर्म साम्प्रतम् । शुभाशुभं च देवेशि क्रियमाणं विदुर्बुधाः ॥ 23.44 ॥

anena janmanā yacca kriyate karma sāmpratam śubhāśubhaṁ ca deveśi kriyamāṇaṁ vidurbudhāḥ

O goddess of gods, whatever good or evil action is performed in this present birth, the wise call that karma "being performed."

Verse 45 (shiva.kotirudra.23.45)

प्रारब्धकर्मणो भोगात्क्षयश्चैव न चान्यथा । उपायेन द्वयोर्नाशः कर्मणोः पूजनादिना ॥ 23.45 ॥

prārabdhakarmaṇo bhogātkṣayaścaiva na cānyathā upāyena dvayornāśaḥ karmaṇoḥ pūjanādinā

Commenced karma is exhausted only by being experienced, not otherwise; but the remaining two kinds of karma can be destroyed by means such as worship.

Verse 46 (shiva.kotirudra.23.46)

सर्वेषां कर्मणां नाशो नास्ति काशीं पुरीं विना । सर्वं च सुलभं तीर्थं दुर्लभा काशिका पुरी ॥ 23.46 ॥

sarveṣāṁ karmaṇāṁ nāśo nāsti kāśīṁ purīṁ vinā sarvaṁ ca sulabhaṁ tīrthaṁ durlabhā kāśikā purī

Without the city of Kashi, the destruction of every karma is impossible; every other sacred site is easily attained, but the city of Kashi is hard to attain.

Verse 47 (shiva.kotirudra.23.47)

पूर्वजन्मकृतं चेद्वै काशीदर्शनमादरात् । तदा काशीं च सम्प्राप्य लभेन्मृत्युं न चान्यथा ॥ 23.47 ॥

pūrvajanmakṛtaṁ cedvai kāśīdarśanamādarāt tadā kāśīṁ ca samprāpya labhenmṛtyuṁ na cānyathā

Only if one has reverently beheld Kashi in a former birth does one, upon reaching Kashi, obtain death there — not otherwise.

Verse 48 (shiva.kotirudra.23.48)

काशीं प्राप्य नरो यस्तु गङ्गायां स्नानमाचरेत् । तदा च क्रियमाणस्य सञ्चितस्यापि सङ्क्षयः ॥ 23.48 ॥

kāśīṁ prāpya naro yastu gaṅgāyāṁ snānamācaret tadā ca kriyamāṇasya sañcitasyāpi saṅkṣayaḥ

Whoever, having reached Kashi, bathes in the Ganga — for him, both his "being performed" and his accumulated karma are then destroyed.

Verse 49 (shiva.kotirudra.23.49)

प्रारब्धं न विना भोगं नश्यतीति सुनिश्चितम् । मृतिश्च तस्य सञ्जाता तदा तस्य क्षयो भवेत् ॥ 23.49 ॥

prārabdhaṁ na vinā bhogaṁ naśyatīti suniścitam mṛtiśca tasya sañjātā tadā tasya kṣayo bhavet

It is well established that commenced karma is not destroyed without being experienced; but once his death has come to pass there, that karma too is thereby destroyed.

Verse 50 (shiva.kotirudra.23.50)

पूर्वं चैव कृता काशी पश्चात्पापं समाचरेत् । तद्बीजेन बलवता नीयते काशिका पुनः ॥ 23.50 ॥

pūrvaṁ caiva kṛtā kāśī paścātpāpaṁ samācaret tadbījena balavatā nīyate kāśikā punaḥ

One who has served Kashi before, and afterward falls into sinful conduct, is drawn back to Kashi again by the power of that earlier seed.

Verse 51 (shiva.kotirudra.23.51)

तदा सर्वाणि पापानि भस्मसाच्च भवन्ति हि । तस्मात्काशीं नरः सेवेत्कर्मनिर्मूलनीं ध्रुवम् ॥ 23.51 ॥

tadā sarvāṇi pāpāni bhasmasācca bhavanti hi tasmātkāśīṁ naraḥ sevetkarmanirmūlanīṁ dhruvam

Then all his sins are reduced to ashes; therefore a man should certainly serve Kashi, the uprooter of every karma.

Verse 52 (shiva.kotirudra.23.52)

एकोऽपि ब्राह्मणो येन काश्यां संवासितः प्रिये । काशीवासमवाप्यैव ततो मुक्तिं स विन्दति ॥ 23.52 ॥

eko’pi brāhmaṇo yena kāśyāṁ saṁvāsitaḥ priye kāśīvāsamavāpyaiva tato muktiṁ sa vindati

O beloved, whoever causes even a single brahmin to settle in Kashi likewise attains liberation, through the merit of that dwelling in Kashi.

Verse 53 (shiva.kotirudra.23.53)

काश्यां यो वै मृतश्चैव तस्य जन्म पुनर्न हि । समुद्दिश्य प्रयागे च मृतस्य कामनाफलम् ॥ 23.53 ॥

kāśyāṁ yo vai mṛtaścaiva tasya janma punarna hi samuddiśya prayāge ca mṛtasya kāmanāphalam

Whoever dies in Kashi is never reborn; but one who dies at Prayaga with some particular desire in mind attains the fruit of that desire.

Verse 54 (shiva.kotirudra.23.54)

संयोगश्च तयोश्चेत्स्यात्काशीजन्यं फलं वृथा । यदि न प्राप्यते तच्च तीर्थराजफलं वृथा ॥ 23.54 ॥

saṁyogaśca tayoścetsyātkāśījanyaṁ phalaṁ vṛthā yadi na prāpyate tacca tīrtharājaphalaṁ vṛthā

If the two, Kashi and Prayaga, are combined, yet the fruit born of Kashi is not obtained, it is in vain; and if the fruit of Tirtharaja, the king of pilgrimage sites, is not obtained, that too is in vain.

Verse 55 (shiva.kotirudra.23.55)

तस्मान्मच्छासनाद्विष्णुः सृष्टिं साक्षाद्धि नूतनाम् । विधाय मनसोद्दिष्टां तत्सिद्धिं यच्छति ध्रुवम् ॥ 23.55 ॥

tasmānmacchāsanādviṣṇuḥ sṛṣṭiṁ sākṣāddhi nūtanām vidhāya manasoddiṣṭāṁ tatsiddhiṁ yacchati dhruvam

Therefore, by my very command, Vishnu, fashioning a fresh creation directly, surely grants the fulfillment of whatever is intended in the mind.

Verse 56 (shiva.kotirudra.23.56)

सूत उवाच । इत्यादि बहुमाहात्म्यं काश्या वै मुनिसत्तमाः । तथा विश्वेश्वरस्यापि भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं सताम् ॥ 23.56 ॥

sūta uvāca ityādi bahumāhātmyaṁ kāśyā vai munisattamāḥ tathā viśveśvarasyāpi bhuktimuktipradaṁ satām

Suta said: O foremost of sages, thus have I told this abundant greatness of Kashi and of Vishveshvara likewise, which grants the virtuous both enjoyment and liberation.

Verse 57 (shiva.kotirudra.23.57)

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि माहात्म्यं त्र्यम्बकस्य च । यच्छ्रुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते मानवः क्षणात् ॥ 23.57 ॥

ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi māhātmyaṁ tryambakasya ca yacchrutvā sarvapāpebhyo mucyate mānavaḥ kṣaṇāt

Now, after this, I shall relate the greatness of Tryambaka, hearing which a person is freed from every sin in an instant.