49 - Pilgrimage to Kåshi1

Vasu said:

1. O beautiful lady, to the north east of that seat of the deity (Sañgamešhvara), four-faced Liñga had been installed by Sagara.

2. In the north-west corner of the holy centre pertaining to Sagara is the lake Bhadradeha made out of the milk of cows. It is destructive of all sins.

3. O Mohinï, merely by taking bath therein, a man attains the benefit of charitable gift of a thousand Tawny coloured cows.

4. The period when the constellation Pürvâbhädrapadâ coincides with the full moon day, is highly meritorious and it yields the benefit of a horse-sacrifice.

5. The goddess who is seen in the cremation ground is well known as Bhishma Chandikâ. By worshipping her, a man never faces a mishap.

6. Kruttivàsešhvara¹ is to the East of Antakešhvara, to the South of Sarveshvara and to the north of Mâtalîšhvara.

1. This chapter some of the important holy spots in Varanasi. god Kruttivâsešhvara¹ again and again.

7-8a. O gentle lady, by visiting Kruttivasešhvara and by worshipping him, one attains the greatest goal even in a single birth. This is derived in Kruttivâsa. Usually the sin committed in the previous birth is not dispelled even by penance. But by visiting that Liñga (i.e. Kruttivàsa) that sin perishes instantaneously.

8b-9. In the Krutayuga, the Tryambaka Liñga is to be worshipped, in the Tretàyuga the liñga of Kruttivâsas is to be worshipped. It is the Maheshvara Liñga that is sung about in the Dvâpara. The Liñga Hastipälešhvara is sung about in the Kali age by the Siddhas.

10. If one desires to get eternal knowledge that absolves one from Samsâra and grants immortality one should visit the god kruttivaseshvara¹ again and again.

11. By seeing the lord of the Devas even a murderer of a Brahmana is liberated from the sin. By touching and worshipping the Liñga one derives the benefit of all Yajnas.

12-16a. On the fourteenth day in the dark half of the month of Phâlguna, the devotees should worship the eternal lord with great faith and concentration by means of flowers, fruits, leaves and diverse kinds of foodstuffs as well as by means of milk, honey, water and ghee. They propitiate and worship the auspicious Liñga by means of the sound of small hand-drums (Damarus) bowing, dancing, singing, playing on mouth organs, recitation of Stotras (hymns) and chanting Mantras. After observing fast for one night and worshipping lord Shiva with deep devotion, they attain the supreme region, O Mohinï.

16b-17. He who worships Paramešhvara on the fourteenth day in the month of Vaišhàkha,² attains the world of Vaishàkha (lord Karttikeya) and becomes his follower.

2. VV. 16b-27 describe the various Yäträs to be performed in various months.

18-19a, He who worships Hara faithfully in the month Jyeshtha on the fourteenth day, attains the heavenly world and remains there until the time of dissolution of all living beings.

19b-20a. O gentle lady, he who worships Shiva with purity on the fourteenth day in the month of Äshadha attains the world of the sun and sports himself about as much as he pleases.

20b-21a. By worshipping Yogin Šhañkara in the month of Bhâdrapada with various flowers and fruits the devotee attains the same world as that of Indra.

21b-23a. By worshipping Išhvara on the fourteenth day in the Pitrupaksha (dark half of the Bhâdrapada month) the devotee attains the world of the Pitris and being honoured by them he sports about.

23b-24a. By worshipping Maheshvara, the lord of the Devas, in the month of Prabodha (i.e. Kärttika), the devotee attains the world of the moon and sports about as long as he pleases.

24b-25a. By worshipping the Pinäka-bearing lord in the dark half of the month of Margashirsha the devotee attains the world of Vishnu and sports about there for endless Ages (time)

25b-26a. By worshipping Sthänu in the month of Pausha with a delighted mind the devotee attains the spot pertaining to Nirruti and rejoices along with him.

26b-27a. By worshipping Shiva with auspicious flowers, fruits and roots in the month of Mâgha, the devotee eschews the ocean of worldly existence and attains Shivaloka.

27b-29. If one wishes for attaining the region of Šhañkara, one should reside in Avimukta and assiduously worship lord Kruttivâsešhvara. Towards the west of Vyäsešha, there is the deep pool called Ghantakarna. By taking bath in that pool and by visiting Vyäsešha, O gentle lady, wherever one may die one shall have the benefit of dying in Varanasi.

30. If the man takes a holy bath in Dandakhäta and performs Tarpana rite for his deceased ancestors, O gentle lady, those who are detained in the hell go to the world of Pitris.

31. The uplift of those men of evil deeds who have attained Pišhächa-hood (the state of an evil spirit), O gentle lady, is through the offerings of Pindas.

32-33. By seeing that pond, one has his objects achieved: Goddess Lalitä stays there and she bestows happiness on the people. Those who stay in that spot and worship her are given various pleasures by her, O bestower of honour.

34. O Mohini, she confers the imperishable worlds upon those persons who keep awake with lamps in front of her.

35.Those who erect temples for her, those who sweep the ground thereof shall have the charitable gift of eight thousand gold pieces.

37. Listen to the meritorious benefit of the person, who, O gentle lady, feeds those Brähmanas who are masters of the Vedas, with sweet cooked rice for the sake of the deity.

37.Whether the devotee is a man or a woman, he will be blessed with all worldly pleasures. He will reside in the world of Durgä for the period of a Kalpa and thereafter he will come here again.

38. The couples will be endowed with plenty of wealth and food grains. They will be born in the family of great persons. They will be fortunate, comely in features and proud, thanks to their beauty and youth.

39-40a. O gentle lady, they will be like this: - They will be the object of all pleasures. Whence is the fear of rebirth to that person who, after attaining the rare human birth as fickle as the fall of lightning, visits Lalitâ?

40b-41a. By seeing Lalitâ at Vârânasï, the man attains the same benefit as one derives after circumambulating the earth.

41 b-42. The devotee should observe fast on the fourth day in every month. He should then worship that goddess and keep awake during the night. O gentle lady, he gains prosperity of the three worlds.

43. O Mohinï, after worshipping the praiseworthy Nalakübarakešhâna who is the bestower of all Siddhis, the man shall have all his objects accomplished.

44. O gentle lady, to the south of it is the holy centre Manikarnï. There is a great Tirtha in front of it. It is destructive of sins.

45. By seeing lord Manikarnïšhvara¹ abiding in the Kunda (the holy pool), by bowing down and then by worshipping him, one shall cease to stay in a belly once again (i.e. one is liberated from Samsâra)

1. Vide note 3 on p. 1830

46. By worshipping the great Gañgešhvara who is installed in the Gañgâ to his southern side, the devotee shall attain the world of gods (Svarga).

47. O Mohini, I shall describe another shrine at Varanasi. The beautiful spot dear to the lord of the Devas is there.

48. Once, O blessed lady, the Liñga of the moon-crested lord was being taken away by Rakshasas who were moving speedily through the sky. ²

2. VV. 47-56 describe the Liñga known as Kukkuteshvara. The sage’s is an attempt to give a popular etymology of the name.

49. When they reached this place, the lord thought— “How will it be possible for me to avoid being separated from the spot of Avimukta?”

50. O auspicious lady, even as the lord of the Devas was thinking about this, a cock crew there. (There arose the crowing sound of a cock.)

51. O gentle lady, on hearing that sound, the Rakshasas became mentally afraid. They abandoned the Liñga there itself, at the time of the early dawn, and fled away.

52-53. When the Räkshasas ran away thus, the Liñga remained lying there in an extremely beautiful spot. O beautiful lady, the lord of the Devas himself reappeared in the middle of Avimukta. Hence the place is known to be superior to (other places).

54. Then the name Hara was remembered by the Devas as Avimukta consisting of the most sacred syllables. Avimukta is the bestower of salvation on mobile and immobile beings, particularly on those living beings who die there.

55. O blessed lady, cocks had always been there in that holy spot. Even today they are seen there being worshipped by auspicious souls.

56. O gentle lady, the man who always resorts to it and observes it with his eyes is not reborn even in the course of hundreds and crores of Kalpas.

57. To the south of the lord, there is a splendid tank. If one drinks its water, there is no return to the world here.

58-59a. There are three Liñgas in the hearts of man. Those men by whom the waters of that pool are drunk get their desires accomplished. There is no doubt about this that these persons possess perfect knowledge which redeems them.

59b-60a. By taking bath in the waters of the tank, by seeing the deity named Dandaka and by visiting Avimukta thereafter, one attains Kaivalya (salvation) instantaneously.

60b-61a. If a Brâhmana performs the Sandhyä rites there even once, it is as good as performing the Sandhyä rites for sixtyfive years.

61b-62a. By visiting the city of Varanasi (also known as) the cremation ground (Šhmašhâna) Avimuktaka, and the lord of Avimukta one becomes the lord of the Ganas.

62b-63a. By seeing the Liñga Avimuktešhvara,¹ the man is immediately liberated from sins, ailments and bondages with which jivas are fettered. *

1. VV. 61 b-66 glorify Avimuktešhvara which a Liñga in Avimuktakshetra for which vide note 3 on p. 1826 above.

*According to the Pashupata darshana, the five Pashas with bind jïvas are the products of Mala, Kaman, Mäyä, tirodhänashakti and bindu.

63b-64. In front of Avimukta, there is a Liñga stationed there facing the West. O gentle lady, it is called Lakshneshvara. If a man sees Avimukta and Lakshanešhvara he immediately becomes one possessing perfect spiritual knowledge.

65. To the north of it, O gentle lady, there is a four faced Liñga. It is named Chaturthešhvara. It is excessively destructive of sins and fears.

66. To all living beings in the world the holy centre Varanasï is the bestower of salvation. But the Liñga Avimuktešhvara there is glorified as Jivanmukta (i.e. which bestows upon devotees liberation even while they are alive).

67. If a man stays anywhere there, the lordship of Ganas is ordained in respect of him. By abandoning the vital breaths there, one shall attain the ultimate salvation.

69. The first Ävarana(enclosure) is remembered to be the area within the above limits. In the second Ävarana (enclosure) the Manikarnika is to the east.

69. There are seven crores of Liñgas abiding in that spot. Merely by seeing them one shall attain the benefit of (performing) Yajñas.

70. These are Siddha (self-manifested?) Liñgas. (In Kàšhi) all wells, tanks, ponds, rivers and pools—all of them are glorified as sacred.

71. A person who will take bath in these with concentrated mind and touch the Lingas (while bowing, worshipping etc.) will never re-enter Samsâra again.

72. All the important holy centres that are on the Earth and in the firmament have been recounted to yon by me.

73. O fair lady, the pilgrimage to the holy centres, that is destructive of sins, has been described by me. He who undertakes the pilgrimage and he who sees him attains salvation.

74. O lady of beautiful hips, Avimukta is the splendid middle Ävarana (enclosure). This is named Kantaka too. At the time of death, it is the bestower of final liberation from samsära.