Chapter 73 - The Greatness of Oṃkāra

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: A thousand years ago, Oṃkāra, one of the most important Śiva Liṅgas in Kāśī, was a grand temple on the bank of a large inland lake Matsyodarī. Today Oṃkāra temple is scarcely known. It is in the open on a small hillock surrounded by a Muslim locality. In ancient times, it was a group of five temples representing A, U, M, Nāda and Bindu, the components of OM. The main temple was rebuilt by the Maratha queen Ahalyabai Holkar who appointed a Brāhmaṇa to look after the worship and management of the temple. There are Muslim graves in the foreground of the temple (See picture BCL 112). Nāda and Bindu temples have disappeared and others are in a dilapidated condition. (BCL 112-120)

Agastya said:

1. After reaching the holy shrine Trilocana, what did the Lord of Devas do in the company of the Mother of the universe? Tell me quickly.

Skanda said:

2-6. O Pot-born Sage, I shall explain what has been asked. Listen. The Pīṭha named Virajas has been mentioned as the bestower of all Siddhis. Merely by visiting that Pīṭha, a man becomes rid of Rajas quality. It is there in Vārāṇasī that the great Liṅga Trilocana (is stationed). The Tīrtha named Pilipilā in the waters of the celestial river is well-known. It is being praised as a Tīrtha in Kāśī containing all the Tīrthas. Since, O sage, all the Devas, sages, men, serpents along with rivers, mountains and forests exist there, that Tīrtha and that Liṅga named Trilocana have been called Triviṣṭapa. For this same reason it is really very great.

7. O sage, I shall describe the greatness of Triviṣṭapa Liṅga as described by the Pināka-wielding Lord to the Mother of the universe.

Devī said:

8. O Lord of Devas, O Śarva, O Lord of the universe, the omnipresent bestower of all, O procreator of all, the vision of all, I am asking something. Do explain it.

9. This holy spot is your favourite. It is a great medicine for stopping the growth of the seed of Karma. It is the abode of the Glory of Salvation. It gives me great delight.

10. Before the dust of this holy spot, even the three worlds become a mere blade of grass. By whom can the greatness of the whole of that holy spot be comprehensively understood?

11. It is true that all the Liṅgas that are here are undoubtedly causes of the attainment of salvation. They are also self-manifested ones.

12. Granting that this is so, O Lord, it behoves you to mention the speciality thereof. O Śaṅkara, what are the Liṅgas in Kāśī that exist primordially?

13-16. What are those Liṅgas where the Lord stays forever along with his beloved even during Saṃvarta (final annihilation); by which Kāśī has become well-known as the city of liberation; by merely remembering which there shall be the destruction of sin; by visiting and touching which (a devotee shall) attain heavenly pleasures and salvation; O Lord, by worshipping which, even once in the course of a birth, it will be decisively asserted that all the Liṅgas in Kāśī shall be deemed to have been worshipped?

O ocean of the nectar of compassion, have pity on me and mention this. O Śaṃbhu, I have prostrated myself at your feet.

17-18. On hearing this excellent utterance of the goddess, O enemy of Vindhya, O excellent one, Maheśāna recounted all the great Liṅgas, by listening to the names whereof heaps of sins become reduced, mass of merit is attained, which causes salvation in Kāśī.

The Lord of Devas said:

19. O goddess, listen to the secret that brings about salvation in this holy spot. Brahmā, Nārāyaṇa and others do not know this.

20-21. O Pārvatī, the Liṅgas in Ānandakānana cannot be reckoned. There are gross and subtle ones: there are Liṅgas made of gems of various kinds and of various metals. O goddess, there are many Liṅgas made of stone. Many of them are self-manifested (i.e. natural ones). Many have been installed by Devas, by sages.

22-26. They are worshipped by Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Gandharvas, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas. There are many Liṅgas engraved with their respective names and made by Asuras, serpents, men, Dānavas, celestial damsels, the elephants supporting the quarters, mountains, Tīrthas, bears, monkeys, Kinnaras, birds etc., O Goddess. All of them are causes of the attainment of salvation. Some are visible. Some are invisible. O dear one, some of them have become ruined; some are shattered due to passage of time. O fair lady, they are also to be worshipped. Once they were counted as a hundred Parārdhas (Parārdha=one followed by seventeen zeros). Sixty crores of Liṅgas are stationed within the waters of Gaṅgā. O goddess, those Siddha Liṅgas have become invisible in this Kali age.

27. There is no limit, O beloved one, to the Liṅgas installed by my devotees since the day on which they were counted (by me).

28. O fair lady, I shall mention those Liṅgas that confer salvation, about which you have asked and due to which, this holy spot has become the most excellent.

29. In Kali age, O Daughter of the Lord of the Mountains, they will become totally concealed but their power will never disappear from their respective spots.

30. Those who are full of the sins of Kali age, those who are wicked, heretics and rogues, will never know even the names of these Siddha Liṅgas.

31. O lady of fair countenance, all sins get destroyed even when the names of these Liṅgas are heard. Heaps of merit become increased.

32-36.^[1] Oṃkāra is the first Liṅga; the second is Trilocana. Mahādeva is the third and Kṛttivāsas is the fourth. Ratneśa is the fifth Liṅga; the sixth Liṅga is called Candreśvara. Kedāra is the seventh Liṅga, O beloved one, and the eighth is Dharmeśa. Vīreśvara is the ninth one. They know that Kāmeśa is the tenth Liṅga. The highly splendid Viśvakarmeśvara Liṅga is the eleventh one. The twelfth one is Maṇikarṇīśa and Avimukta is the thirteenth. The fourteenth Liṅga of mine is the great Liṅga named Viśveśvara. O my beloved fair lady, these fourteen Liṅgas are the causes of welfare. The combination of all these is called Muktikṣetra (‘Holy spot of Salvation’).

37. These great deities are the presiding deities of this holy spot. Propitiated duly they grant to men the glory of salvation.

38. O fair lady, O my beloved one, these fourteen great Liṅgas in Ānandakānana are mentioned as worthy of the worship of all embodied ones.

Skanda said:

39. Beginning with the auspicious first lunar day in every month, the religious festival of these should be carefully carried out.

40. O Pot-born One, this is the truth, this is the truth. I shall repeat it again and again. Who will get salvation in Kāśī without propitiating Mahādeva in these Liṅgas?

41. Hence, O sage, these Liṅgas should be very devoutly worshipped with all care by those who desire the benefit of Kāśī.

Agastya asked:

42. O Six-faced One, are these great Liṅgas the only causes of salvation? Are there others too? If there are, kindly mention.

Skanda said:

43. O sage of excellent observances, there are other great Liṅgas too, but they will be hidden ones due to the power of Kali.

44. He who has perpetual devotion to Īśvara, he who knows the truth about Kāśī, will know these Liṅgas; no one else can do so.

45-50. Even the utterance of the names of these brings in the destruction of the sins of Kali. These fourteen great Liṅgas in Kāśī are the Liṅgas that cause salvation in Ānandakānana: Amṛteśa, Tārakeśa, Jñāneśa, Karuṇeśvara, Mokṣadvāreśvara, Svargadvāreśvara, Brahmeśa, Lāṅgala, Vṛddhakāleśvara, Vṛṣeśa, Caṇḍīśa, Nandikeśa, Maheśvara and the fourteenth one well-known as Jyotirūpeśvara Liṅga. (The Lord tells the Goddess:,) “O fair lady, these are the fourteen Liṅgas in Kāśī. They should never be mentioned to those with intellect defiled by Kali. If anyone propitiates these fourteen Liṅgas, he has no further return to the path of worldly existence. This unparalleled treasure of Kāśī should not be revealed to anyone and everyone.

51. O lady of excellent countenance, this is the greatest of the secrets of this holy place. O goddess, even the utterance of the names of these Liṅgas in great disaster removes all miseries.

52. Indeed all the fourteen Liṅgas bring about proximity to me. O Daughter of the Lord of Mountains, this is the heart of Avimukta.

53. These are those Liṅgas that grant liberation unto all. Out of compassion for great devotion these have been evolved by me taking the entire essence from each of the (fourteen) worlds.

54. O beloved one, these fourteen Liṅgas of mine are the cause behind the reputation that liberation is assured in this holy spot.

55. Only they are the genuine observers of vows, O my beloved, only they are the real ascetics, those devotees, by whom these Liṅgas are meditated upon in Ānandakānana.

56. Only they are the persons who have adopted the excellent Yoga path, only they can be deemed to have made genuine gifts, they by whom these Liṅgas have been seen in Kāśī even if it be from afar.

57-58. O Pārvatī, if, after arriving at Avimukta, the great Liṅgas are worshipped even once by anyone, he is free from sins and is on a par with one who has performed all those pious rites of Iṣṭa and Pūrta enjoined by excellent sages. There is no doubt about this that he is a liberated soul.”

Skanda said:

59-62. O Brāhmaṇa, O enemy of Vindhya, other Liṅgas too have been mentioned to the Goddess by Śaṃbhu for the benefit of his devotees. Listen to them. They are Śaileśa, Saṅgameśa, Svarlīna, Madhyameśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Īśāna, Goprekṣa, Vṛṣabhadhvaja, Upaśānta Śiva, Jyeṣṭha, Nivāseśvara, Śukreśa, Vyāghra Liṅga and Jaṃbūkeśa the fourteenth one. O sage, a man will attain salvation by worshipping these too.

63. These Liṅgas should be earnestly worshipped by excellent persons starting on the first lunar day in the dark half of Caitra and concluding on the fourteenth day.

64. The annual religious procession, festivity and pilgrimage of these should be celebrated with great pomp and ceremony by those who are desirous of salvation.

65. O sage, if anyone visits these fourteen great Liṅgas with earnestness, he is never reborn in the world, the ocean of misery.

66. “O my beloved, this alone is the (underlying) greatest fact of the holy spot, to be sure, that this is the greatest panacea for those who have been overwhelmed with the sickness of worldly existence.

67. This is the Upaniṣad (‘secret’) of the holy spot. This is the greatest seed of salvation. This group of Liṅgas, O my beloved, destroys the forest of Karma like a veritable forest fire.

68-69. The greatness of each and everyone of these Liṅgas has no beginning and end. O goddess, it is known only to me and not to anyone else.”

On hearing this, O sage, the goddess became glad and experienced horripilation. After bowing down to Lord Īśāna, the omniscient Śiva, the bestower of everything she said:

Devī said:

70-75. On hearing this great mystic secret of Kāśī mentioned now, O dear Lord, my mind has become very eager.

It is said that each and everyone of the Liṅgas is highly potent, O Kāraṇeśvara, and the cause of salvation in Kāśī.

O Lord of the worlds, tell the greatness severally of these fourteen Liṅgas that dispel sins.

How is the arrival of Oṃkāreśa liṅga here from that excessively meritorious holy spot Amarakaṇṭaka?

Of what intrinsic form is this Oṃkāra, O Hara, and what is its greatness? By whom was this formerly propitiated? What did it bestow on being propitiated?

After making these nectarine words of Mṛḍānī reach his ears, the Lord narrated the very wonderful tale of Oṃkāra.

Devadeva said:

76. O Aparṇā, I shall describe to you the story how the Oṃkāra Liṅga manifested itself here. Listen.

77. Formerly, here in Ānandavana, O great goddess, a great penance was performed with very intensive concentration by Brahmā, the creator of the universe.

78. When a thousand Yugas passed, a supreme radiance sprang up in front of him piercing the seven nether worlds and illuminating the faces of all quarters.

79-80. That same brilliance which had originally manifested itself within himself, due to his genuine concentration, presented itself before Brahmā. On account of the crackling and splitting sound that arose from the ground Brahmā who had good control over the senses, gradually came back from samādhi.

81-82. Even as the Creator ceased to meditate and gradually opened his eyes and looked before him, he saw the first letter “A” (अ) endowed with Sattva quality. It is the cause of Ṛgveda and the protector of the creation. It is identical with Nārāyaṇa and is established beyond all darkness (Tamas guṇa).

83. Thereafter he saw the letter “U” (उ) beyond it, having the Rajas form. It is the source of Yajurveda. It was the creator of everything. It was his own reflected form.

84-88. Beyond it he saw the letter “M” (म) resembling the abode of tryst of silent darkness especially with Tamas form. It was the source of Sāmaveda and the cause of dissolution. It has Rudra’s form. Then in front of him, the meditator (Brahmā) saw the Cosmic form of Śabda Brahman (Sound Absolute) endowed with and without attributes. It was the abode of Anākhyanāda (Parā, the subtlest sound). It was the embodiment of the supreme bliss. It is well-known as Śabdabrahman. It is the cause of all verbal utterance.

Thereafter above the Nāda (Sound Absolute) he saw the subtlest ultimate form of Bindu, the cause of all causes, the absolute cause of the universe. Brahmā saw this due to his power of penance.

89-92. It is well-known as OṂ because it protects (Avanāt) and also because it raises up the devotee by its power.

It is formless and also endowed with form. It was seen by the Creator. It is also well-known as Tāraka because it redeems persons whose mind is engrossed in the contemplation and Japa of itself. Brahmā saw that. It is glorified as Praṇava because it is ardently eulogized by those who are desirous of the great salvation. Hence it is greater than everything else. It is also called Praṇava because it leads (praṇayet) one who resorts to it towards the greatest region (Mokṣa). Hence Brahmā perceived that quiescent Praṇava.

93. That is constituted of the three Vedas or is identical with Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra; that is the fourth one, the great Ātman; that is really beyond the fourth (viz. Viśva, Taijasa, Prājña and Turīya) (Oṃkāra is beyond the Turīya.) It is Akhilātmaka (identical with everything through Māyā). It has the forms of Nāda and Bindu and it was seen by Brahmā whose vehicle is a bird.

94. It is from it that the Vedas along with their Aṅgas, the source of everything began to function. That cause of the Vedas was seen in front of him by the Lotus-born One.

95. The Bull (sacrifice-formed Viṣṇu), tied in three ways (with Mantra, Brāhmaṇa and Kalpa), roaring (praised with Mantras of the Ṛg, Yajus and Sāma mantras), of brilliant form (brilliance itself) was seen by Brahmā.

96-100. That Lord (Mahādeva) was seen by Brahmā—the Lord who had four horns (the four Vedas), seven hands (seven important Vedic metres), two heads (the sacrifices Prāyanīyā and Udayanīyā) and three feet (the three Savanas). That in which the entire thing, the past, the future, and the present became dissolved again and again, that seed, the cause of all but itself having no cause was seen by Druhiṇa (Brahmā). That Liṅga was seen where the receptacle of everything from Brahmā to a blade of grass is dissolved and is being sought and therefore is honoured by all good people. That was seen by Brahmā—that where the five entities (i.e. Asti, Bhāti, Priyaṃ, Rūpa and Nāma) are revealed, that which consists of five Brahmans (the four Vedas, Itihāsas and Purāṇas) and that which has the letters “A”(अ) etc. as its features. After observing Īśvara in the form of Liṅga and evolved of five syllables (A, U, M, Nāda Bindu), he eulogized Śaṅkara as distinct from the Prapañca (visible world).

Brahmā said:

[Prayer to Oṃkāra (101 to 140)]

101. Obeisance to the Lord in the form of Oṃkāra. Obeisance to the Lord assuming the form evolved of the syllables. O Sadaśiva, obeisance to the source of origin of “A” and other letters.

102. You are “A”, you are “U” and you are “M” (constituting OṂ), O Lord devoid of form (in reality). Obeisance to you, the embodiment of ṚK, YAJU and SĀMA Vedas and (in reality) beyond all forms.

103. Obeisance to you in the form of Nāda (sound termed Parā, Paśyantī, Madhyamā and Vaikharī); obeisance to one in the form of the part of Bindu; obeisance to one identical with the visible and the invisible, to one identical with all forms.

104. Obeisance to you, the storehouse of radiance; O Lord, devoid of Vikāras like death etc. (i.e. birth, existence, increase, change and decrease); obeisance to you, O Śarva, Rudra, Bhava.

105. Obeisance to Ugra, the terrible one, to the Lord of Paśus (individual souls). Obeisance to one in the form of Tāra (OṂ); obeisance to you, the source of origin (of all i.e. the cause of all).

106. Obeisance to you, free from Māyā. Obeisance to you, the most auspicious one; obeisance to you, Kapardin (having matted hairs); obeisance to you, the blue-throated one.

107. Obeisance to you, the most excellent one among the bestowers of benefits. O Giriśa, obeisance to you who have penetrated Paśus as Yajña (obscure?). Obeisance to the long one, to the short one, to the huge one increased in form.

108. Obeisance to the sire of Kumāra, to you having the body of a youth; obeisance to the white, black, yellow and pink one.

109. Obeisance to one with smoke colour, the tawny one. Obeisance to one with the variegated radiance; obeisance to the pale red-coloured one; obeisance to the Lord with green brilliance.

110. Obeisance to one in the form of different Varṇas (letters, castes), to the Lord of Varṇas; obeisance to you in the form of the vowels, to one in the form of the consonants.

111. Obeisance, obeisance to the acute-accented one, to the accentless one and to the circumflexed-accented one, to the Lord of the short, long and prolated vowel; obeisance to you one with the (form of) Visarga.

112. Obeisance to you in the form of Anusvāra, O Lord with the nasal sounds; obeisance to one without nasal sounds; obeisance to one in the form of the dental and palatal consonants.

113. Obeisance to one in the form of the labials and the letters issuing from the bosom (upadhmānīya); obeisance to one in the form of the sibilants; obeisance to you identical with semi-vowels, to the Pināka-wielding Lord identical with the Pañcama note (in music).

114. Obeisance to you identical with the Niṣāda note; obeisance to the Lord of Niṣādas (forest tribes); obeisance to you in the form of Vīṇā, flute, drum and other musical instruments.

115. Obeisance to Tāra (the high pitched note); obeisance to the Mandra (the low-pitched) note, to the terrible one, to one in the form of Aghora; obeisance to one in the form of Tānas (49 protracted key-notes); obeisance to the Lord of Mūrcchanas.

116. Obeisance to one in the form of Bhāva based on the difference of Sthāyins and Sañcārins (permanent or stable and evanescent feelings); obeisance to one identical with Tāla (beating of the time); to one fond of Tāla; to one, the source of origin of Lāsya (graceful) dance and Tāṇḍava (aggressive) dance.

117. O Lord, extremely fond of Tauryatrika (union or triple symphony of dance, vocal and instrumental music), to one identical with Tauryatrika, O bestower of the glory of salvation on those who present Tauryatrika with devotion!

118. Obeisance to you in the form of the gross and the subtle, the visible and the invisible; obeisance to the modern one; obeisance to you, the ancient one.

119. Obeisance to one in the form of the extensive domain of words, to one beyond the extensive domain of words; obeisance to the only one manifesting in many different forms; obeisance to the Lord of the real and the unreal (controller of cause and effect).

120. O Śabdabrahman (the Vedic Scripture), obeisance to you. Obeisance to you, O supreme Brahman. Obeisance to one comprehensible only through the Vedānta. Obeisance to the controller of the Vedas.

121. Obeisance to the Lord in the form of the Vedas. Obeisance to one whose form is self-manifest. O Lord of Pārvatī, obeisance to you. Obeisance to you, O Lord of the universe.

122. Obeisance to you, O Lord of the chiefs of Devas, O bestower of the divine position on the Devas; obeisance to you, O Śaṅkara; O Maheśvara, obeisance to you.

123. Obeisance to you, O delighter of the universe. Obeisance to you, O Moon-crested one; obeisance to you, O conqueror of death and obeisance to you, the three-eyed one.

124. Obeisance to the Lord with the Pināka in the hand; to one who holds the weapon (called) trident. Obeisance to the destroyer of the Tripuras. O slayer of Andhaka, obeisance.

125. Obeisance, O subduer of the pride of Kandarpa (god of Love). Obeisance to the enemy of Jālandhara, to Kāla; obeisance to the Kāla of Kāla, to one who swallows the poison Kālakūta.

126. Obeisance to the Lord who destroys the distress of devotees, who contributes to the distress of only the non-devotee; obeisance to the cause of knowledge; to the Lord in the form of knowledge; obeisance to you, the omniscient one.

127. You are the bestower of Yogic Siddhi; the most excellent one of Yogins; you are the bestower of the benefit of all austerities to ascetics, O Lord whose wealth is penance.

128. You alone are in the form of the sacred Mantras; you are the bestower of the fruit of Mantras; you are the fruit of the great gift (Mokṣa); you are the maker of the great gift.

129. You alone are the great Yajña, O Lord, the bestower of the benefit of great Yajñas. You are all; you move everywhere. You are the bestower of all; the seer of all.

130. The consumer of all, you are the creator of all, O annihilator of all. Obeisance to you, O Lord having the abode in the ether of the cavity of the heart of Yogins.

131. You alone protect the three worlds in the form of Viṣṇu, O wielder of conch, discus and club. O saviour, obeisance to you, O Sattvamūrti (of Sattva as form).

132. You alone create this (universe) having become Vidhi (Brahmā). Conversant with the technique of arrangement you assume the Rajas form, O bestower of the position free from Rajas.

133. You alone are the great Rudra; you are the great Ugra, the wearer of serpents. You alone are the great terrible one, O Lord moving about in the great cremation ground.

134. You adopt the Tāmasic body, O death unto the god of death; you become Kālāgnirudra in the end and make Saṃvarta (the period of ultimate annihilation) active.

135. O unborn one, in the form of Puruṣa and Prakṛti you make the entire universe beginning with Mahat manifest once again by raising the eyelashes.

136. The closure and the opening of your eyes cause the dissolution and resurrection. You move about unfettered and this entire process is but the playful pastime of you having the garland of skulls.

137. O Dhūrjaṭi, the skull that sparkles round your neck is clearly the garland of the seed (Ajñāna, ignorance) of all who have been consumed by the fire of ultimate annihilation.

138. O Śaṃbhu, the entire mobile and immobile beings are in you; they issue from you. Who knows how to eulogize you (adequately), you who are beyond the ken of primordial (or Vedic) words?.

139. You are the eulogizer; you alone are the eulogy; you alone are the object of eulogy always. I know “Oṃ namaḥ śivāya” alone. I do not know anything else.

140. You are my refuge; you alone are the ultimate goal; O Lord, I bow down to you alone, I bow down to you; obeisance, obeisance.

141. After saying this Brahmā bowed down to Maheśvara many times. He prostrated himself like a log of wood on the ground before the Lord named Praṇava, in the form of great Liṅga.

Īśvara said:

142. Thereupon, O Daughter of the Lord of Mountains, on hearing the great hymn of prayer of Brahmā, that was extremely wonderful and that causes great wealth and lord-ship, I became satisfied.

143. Though I am formless, I assumed the form of Śaṅkara and emerged from that Liṅga. I spoke to the Four-faced Lord: “I am delighted. Tell me what boon you will have.”

144. The Four-faced One, on seeing me directly, got up, said again and again, “Be victorious, be victorious” and bowed down with palms joined in reverence.

145. Tears due to delight welled up in his eyes. He had horripilation due to excess of delight. The Lotus-seated One spoke in faltering tone:

Brahmā said:

146. O Lord of Devas, if you are delighted, if a boon is to be given to me, then, O Śaṅkara, may your presence be in this great Liṅga.

147. This boon alone should be granted. I do not choose any other boon. May this be named Oṃkāreśvara bestowing salvation only on the devotee.

Skanda said:

148. O Brāhmaṇa Sage, on hearing this utterance of Brahmā, the Lord said these words to the Four-faced One, “May it be so.”

149. Extremely propitiated by that hymn the Lord immediately granted other boons too to Vidhi, the performer of a penance of long duration:

Īśvara said:

150. O most excellent one among Suras—excellent due to the austerities—be the storehouse of all the Vedas. With my favour, may you have the capacity to create things.

151. You will be the grandfather of all. You will be worthy of everyone’s honour. It is to bestow the benefit of your penance that this Liṅga has sprung up.

152. O Brahmā, this is the greatest Liṅga in the form of Oṃkāra. It is identical with Sabdabrahman. The region of Brahman (Mokṣa) cannot be far away if men propitiate this.

153. This Liṅga is named ‘Akāra’; this is the great Liṅga named ‘Ukāra’. It is called ‘Makāra’, Nāda and Bindu.

154. For the sake of the liberation of all creatures here, in this Ānandakānana, this Liṅga has come up and it is called Īśāna, the abode of five entities (“A” etc. or Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Īśvara and Sadāśiva).

155. If a creature takes its holy ablution in the Matsyodarī Tīrtha and visits Oṃkāra Īśvara, he is never reborn in the belly of a mother.

156. This is Nādeśvara^[2] Liṅga. This Liṅga is very rare. If it is visited on the beautiful shore of Matsyodarī and touched, it bestows salvation.

157. Since a reddish tawny radiance is seen in this Liṅga it is called Kapileśa (Kapila—tawny, Viṣṇu). This Liṅga is very rare.

158. When Matsyodarī mingles with Gaṅgā in the presence of Kapileśvara, a man will take his holy bath there. He dispels the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.

159. When Varaṇā becomes flooded with water and gets mingled with the water of the celestial river^[3] a man, a devotee shall take his holy bath therein and visit Nādeśvara. What is it that he bewails thereafter? He need not be sorry for anything thereafter.

160. On the eighth and fourteenth lunar days, sixty crores of Tīrthas along with the oceans enter Matsyodarī.

161. When Gaṅgā comes near Praṇaveśa, it is an extremely meritorious time dear to Devas, sages and Pitṛs.

162. At that time the ablution, Japa, Dāna, Havana and adoration of the deity in Matsyodarī in the vicinity of Oṃkāreśvara, is of everlasting benefit.

163. One shall attain the benefit of a horse-sacrifice merely at the sight of Oṃkāra. Hence Oṃkāra Īśvara should be assiduously visited in Kāśī.

164. Human birth, the sole means of achieving the four aims of life, is very rare. Even that shall be as futile as a water bubble unto him by whom Nādeśa has not been seen.

165. A devotee shall take his ablution in the waters of Matsyodarī, visit Kapileśāna and offer balls of rice—he will be free from indebtedness to the ancestors.

166. Even after committing many great sins due to delusion, if a devotee visits Oṃkāra at Kāśī, why should he be afraid of Yama?

167. On seeing a man born of their family ready to proceed towards Oṃkāra the grandfathers joyously dance about.

168. Whichever name of the ancestors the intelligent (scion) remembers and bows down, he causes the uplift of that ancestor to the region of Brahman.

169. By visiting Oṃkāra devoutly one attains that benefit which is obtained after chanting earnestly a hundred-thousand times, the Rudra Mantra.

170. The birth of a man is only a burden unto the earth if he does not visit Oṃkāra, the bestower of every desire in Ānandavana.

171. If Oṃkāra alone is visited, it is on a par with the visiting of all the Liṅgas in the entire earth, undoubtedly.

172. If a man dies elsewhere after bowing down to Praṇaveśa, he attains heaven, is reborn in Kāśī and attains salvation afterwards.

173. O Brahmā, certainly I shall stay always in this Liṅga and shall always grant salvation to one who worships this.

174. After bowing down to Oṃkāra even once with assiduity, a man will certainly become blessed and contented, thanks to my great blessings.

175. To the west of Oṃkāra is the excellent Tāra Tīrtha; a man who performs all aquatic rites there, surmounts all wretchedness.

176. Devotees of Oṃkāreśa should not be considered mere human beings. They are Rudras covered with human skin. They attain salvation.

177. The greatness of this Liṅga here is not known to others, It is because of the rise of your merit, O Brahmā, that it thus manifested itself here.

178. By the power of this Liṅga, you will understand everything factually. O Brahmā, hence you create the entire universe consisting of mobile and immobile beings.

179. After granting this boon to the lotus-born Brahmā Śaṃbhu disappeared within that great Liṅga.

Skanda said:

180. Brahmā worships this Liṅga even today eulogizing by means of Brahmastava composed by himself.

181-182. A man repeating Brahmastava is rid of all sins. He is filled with all great merits. He obtains the most excellent knowledge. If the devotee repeats this Brahmastava thrice a day for a full year, he will attain knowledge at the time of death whereby he is liberated from all bondage.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Locations of 14 Liṅgas mentioned in vv 32-36:

Name of the Linga — Present Location:
1. Oṃkāreśvara — North of Macchodarī;
2. Trilocana — Between Macchodarī and Gaṅgā;
3. Mahādeva — North-east of Trilocana (The first tīrtha of Vārāṇasī);
4. Kṛttivāseśvara — Northeast of Maidagin. Temple demolished. Now a mosque. Open to Hindus on Śivarātri.
5. Ratneśvara — In the middle of the road from Maidagin to Mṛtyuñjaya;
6. Candreśvara — West of Saṅkaṭā Devī Temple;
7. Kedāranātha — At Kedāra Ghāṭ;
8. Dharmeśvara — East of Viśvanātha at Dharma Kūpa;
9. Vīreśvara — South of Saṅkaṭā Devī;
10. Kameśvara — Just east of Macchodarī;
11. Viśvakarmeśvara — North-east of Mṛtyuñjaya;
12. Maṇikarṇīśvara or Maṇikarṇikeśvara — Above Maṇikarṇikā Ghāṭ—Just in City
13. Avimukteśvara — Inside the Viśvanātha Temple;
14. Viśveśvara — The centre of Kāśī;

[2]:

As noted above the shrines of Nāda and Bindu are untraceable now.

[3]:

This was possible some ten centuries ago when Gaṅgā was in spate. Now this is impossible in the present Macchodarī.