Matsya Purana 184: adhyāyaḥ 184

184.1

vāraṇasīkṣetramāhātmyam.
maheśvara uvāca.
sevitaṃ bahubhiḥ siddhairapunarbhavakāṅkṣibhiḥ.
viditvā tu paraṃ kṣetramavimuktanivāsinām .. 184.1 ..

Mahâdeva said “—Those who reside here, with the desire of winning emancipation, to them this sacred place is like a wood of penance (tapôvana) People residing here are never re-born The dwellers of this place get the same end as those who are eager to acquire beatitude by means of Divine Knowledge This place is extremely dear to Me It gives everlasting fruits and immortality This Avimukta-tîrtha is also called the cremation ground, and is most mysterious Those who do not feel attached to it are really the losers The dust of this place falling on the sinners bestows on them beatitude The piles of sins huge as the mount Sumêru and Mandarâchala, become annihilated there—1 7

184.2

tadguhyaṃ devadevasya tattīrthaṃ tattapovanam.
paraṃ sthānaṃ tu te yānti sambhavanti na te punaḥ .. 184.2 ..

184.3

jñāne vihitaniṣṭhānāṃ paramānandamicchatām.
yā gatirvihitā sadbhiḥ sāvimukte mṛtasya tu .. 184.3 ..

184.4

bhavasya prītiratulā hyavimukte hyanuttamā.
asaṅkhyeyaṃ phalaṃ tatra hyakṣayā ca gatirbhavet .. 184.4 ..

184.5

paraṃ guhyaṃ samākhyātaṃ śmaśānamiti saṃjñitam.
avimuktaṃ na sevante vañcitāste narā bhuvi .. 184.5 ..

184.6

avimukte sthitaiḥ puṇyaiḥ pāṃsubhirvāyuneritaiḥ.
api duṣkṛtakarmmāṇo yāsyanti paramāṅgatim .. 184.6 ..

184.7

merumandaramātro'pi rāśiḥ pāpasya karmmaṇaḥ.
avimuktaṃ samāsādya tat sarvaṃ vrajati kṣayam .. 184.7 ..

184.8

śmaśānamiti vikhyātamavimuktaṃ śivālayam.
tadguhyaṃ devadevasya tattīrthaṃ tattapovanam .. 184.8 ..

There is Avimukta temple which is renowned by the name of “The cremation ground” It is the “cave of retreat and wood of ascetism’ and the tapôvana of the Lord Śiva. There Nârâyaṇa, Brahmâ, etc., the Sâdhya Devas the Yogis etc , carry on Their worship of Sanâtana Śiva and My devotees worship Me Those who die at Avimukta tîrtha get the same benefit as those who perform sacrifices and devote themselves to asceticism Brahmâ the Creator, the Destructor of the universe, the Virâta manifestation of Bhagavân, the seven realms—they all originate here, and Mahara loka, Janaloka, Tapaloka Satyaloka, the great Yoga of the mind, all the immoveable and moveable creation upwards to Brahmâ, the origin of beings,—they all appear here—8-13

184.9

tatra brahmādayo devā nārāyaṇapurogamāḥ.
yoginaśca tathā sādhyā bhagavantaṃ sanātanam .. 184.9 ..

184.10

upāsante śivaṃ muktā madbhaktā matparāyaṇāḥ.
yā gatirjñānatapasāṃ yā gatiryajña yājinām .. 184.10 ..

184.11

avimukte mṛtānāntu sā gatirvihitā śubhā.
saṃhartāraśca karttārastasmin brahmādayaḥ surāḥ .. 184.11 ..

184.12

samrāṅvirāṇmayā lokā jāyante hyapunarbhavāḥ.
maharjanastapaścaiva satyalokastathaiva ca .. 184.12 ..

184.13

manasaḥ paramo yogo bhūtabhavyabhavasya ca.
brahmādi sthāvarāntasya yonau sāṅkyādimokṣayoḥ .. 184.13 ..

184.14

ye'vimuktaṃ na muñcanti narāste naiva cintitāḥ.
uttamaṃ sarvatīrthānāṃ sthānānāmuttamañca yat .. 184.14 ..

Those who never forsake this place remain in peace. This is the best and holiest of all the places It is the best place among the Kshetras, the foremost of the cremation grounds It is the best of all the streams, mountains and lakes, and, therefore, this Avimukta tîrtha is adored by the pious devotees of Śiva. This Avimukta-tîrtha is the great seat of Brahmâ also Brahmâ resides here It is inhabited and guarded by Brahmâ It is as if all the realms are located here The golden Mount Meru and the hard asceticism practised by Brahmâ are inherent here Brahmâ remains merged in the image of Śiva It is the holiest of the holy It is inhabited by all the hoary people—14-19

184.15

kṣetrāṇāmuttamañcaiva śmaśānānāṃ tathaiva ca.
taṭāṅkānāñca sarveṣāṃ kūpānāṃ srotasāṃ tathā .. 184.15 ..

184.16

śailānāmuttamañcaiva taḍāgānāṃ tathottamam.
puṇyakṛd bhavabhaktaiśca hyavimuktantu sevyate .. 184.16 ..

184.17

brahmaṇaḥ paramaṃ sthānaṃ brahmaṇādhyāsitañca yat.
brahmaṇā sevitaṃ nityaṃ brahmaṇā caiva rakṣitam .. 184.17 ..

184.18

atraiva saptabhuvanaṃ kāñcano meruparvataḥ.
manasaḥ paramo yogaḥ prītyartha brahmaṇaḥ sa tu .. 184.18 ..

184.19

brahmā tu tatra bhagavāṃstrisandhyaṃ ceśvare sthitaḥ.
puṇyāt puṇyatamaṃ kṣetraṃ puṇyakṛdbhirniṣevitam .. 184.19 ..

184.20

ādityopāsanaṃ kṛtvā viprāścāmaratāṅgatāḥ.
anye'pi ye trayovarṇā bhavabhaktyā samāhitāḥ .. 184.20 ..

The Brâhmaṇas worshipping the sun have attained the position of Devas in this place Those who remain firm in their devotion to Śiva and die at this Avimukta-tîrtha, attain emancipation Those who reside there for eight months and subdue their passions or stay there even for four months in sexual abstinence, also attain emancipation—20-24

184.21

avimukte tanuntyaktvā gacchanti paramāṅgatim.
aṣṭau māsān vihārasya yatīnāṃ saṃyatātmanām .. 184.21 ..

184.22

ekatra caturo māsān māsau vā nivaset punaḥ.
avimukte praviṣṭānāṃ vihārastu na vidyate .. 184.22 ..

184.23

na deho bhavitā tatra dṛṣṭaṃ śāstre purātane.
mokṣo hyasaṃśayastatra pañcatvantu gatasya vai .. 184.23 ..

184.24

striyaḥ pativratā yāśca bhavabhaktāḥ samāhitāḥ.
avimukte vimuktāstā yāsyanti paramāṅgatim .. 184.24 ..

184.25

anyā yāḥ kāmacāriṇyaḥ striyo bhogaparāyaṇāḥ.
kālena nidhanaṃ prāptā gacchanti paramāṅgatim .. 184.25 ..

How far may I describe its glory ? Even the unchaste women dying there attain bliss Men attain here Yoga and bliss, unattainable by men elsewhere Those who stick to Avimukta tîrtha and do not go elsewhere, undoubtedly become adorable by Brâhmaṇas One who resides in Avimukta tîrtha becomes undoubtedly like Me—25 27

184.26

yatra yogaśca mokṣaśca prāpyate durlabho naraiḥ.
avimuktaṃ samāsādya nānyad gacchet tapovanam .. 184.26 ..

184.27

sarvātmanā tapaḥ sevyaṃ brāhmaṇairnātra saṃśayaḥ.
avimukte vasedyastu mama tulyo bhavennaraḥ .. 184.27 ..

184.28

yato mayā na muktaṃ hi tvavimuktaṃ tataḥ smṛtam.
avimuktaṃ na sevante mūḍhā ye tamasāvṛtāḥ .. 184.28 ..

It is called Avimukta-tîrtha on account of My being present in it at all times Those who do not resort to Avimukta-tîrtha are idiots, full of the darkness of ignorance, Tamôguna Such men always pass through the ordeal of birth and rebirth Licentiousness, anger, greed, attachment hypocrisy, drowsiness sloth and backbiting,—these obstacles created by Indra are always present here and many hindrances overpower a man In spite of all that, this sacred place is the most holy for the devotees All the Ṛiṣis and Devas have also called it to be the most sacred place—28-32

184.29

viṇmūtraretasāṃ madhye te vasanti punaḥ punaḥ.
kāmaḥ krodhaśca lobhaśca dambhastambho'ti matsaraḥ .. 184.29 ..

184.30

nidrā tandrā tathā''lasyaṃ paiśūnyamiti te daśa.
avimukte sthitā vighnāḥ śakreṇa vihitāḥ svayam .. 184.30 ..

184.31

vināyakopasargāśca satataṃ mūrdhni tiṣṭhati.
puṇyametad bhavet sarvaṃ bhaktānāmanukampayā .. 184.31 ..

184.32

paraṃ guhyamiti jñātvā tataḥ śāstrānudarśanāt.
vyāhṛtaṃ devadevaistu munibhistatvadarśibhiḥ .. 184.32 ..

184.33

medasā viplutā bhūmiravimukte tu varjitā.
pūtā samabhavat sarvā mahādevena rakṣitā.. 184.33 ..

The body made of clay and fat becomes purified at Avimukta tîrtha because Lord Śiva keeps guard there Consequently, the learned do not bury there The devotees who worship Śiva, then merge in Him like the offering of clarified butter in the fire They consider their souls blessed on merging in the Lord, and the Ṛiṣis Devas Yatis, Râkṣasas reside in Avimukta-tîrtha and devote themselves to meditation and sacrifices, etc No one dying there goes to hell There, by the favour of Śiva, every being gets his final bliss This tîrtha is two-and a half yôjanas in extent towards the east and the west. The rivers Vârâṇasî, etc, at the distance of half a yôjana from each other are situated there, and the Śukla river flows alongside.—33-40

184.34

saṃskarastena kriyate bhūmeranyatra sūribhiḥ.
ye bhaktā varadaṃ devamakṣaraṃ paramaṃ padam .. 184.34 ..

184.35

devadānavagandharva yakṣarakṣomahoragāḥ.
avimuktamupāsante tanniṣṭhastatparāyaṇāḥ .. 184.35 ..

184.36

te viśanti mahādevamājyāhutirivānalam.
taṃ vai prāpya mahādevīmīśvarādhyuṣitaṃ śubham .. 184.36 ..

184.37

avimuktaṃ kṛtārtho'smītyātmānamupalabhyate.
ṛṣidevāsuragaṇairjapahomaparāyaṇaiḥ .. 184.37 ..

184.38

yatibhirmokṣakāmaiśca hyavimuktaṃ niṣevyate.
nāvimukte mṛtaḥ kaścinnarakaṃ yāti kilbiṣī .. 184.38 ..

184.39

īśvarānugṛhītā hi sarve yānti parāṅgatim.
dviyojanamayārddhañca tat kṣetraṃ pūrvapaścimam .. 184.39 ..

184.40

arddhayojanavistīrṇaṃ dakṣiṇottarataḥ smṛtam.
vārāṇasī tadīyā ca yāvacchuklanadī tu vai .. 184.40 ..

184.41

etat kṣetrasya vistāraḥ prokto devena dhīmatā.
labdhvā yogañca mokṣañca kāṅkṣanto jñānamuttamam .. 184.41 ..

Mahâdeva has thus described this Kṣetra. People desirous of supreme felicity attain knowledge and yoga, and those who devoutfully always reside there are free from all cares This place of asceticism always remains full of the Siddhas, the Gandharvas, etc There is no river or mountain equal to this Avimukta tîrtha.—41-43

184.42

avimuktaṃ na muñcanti tanniṣṭhāstatparāyaṇāḥ.
tasmin vasanti ye martyā na te śocyāḥ kadācana .. 184.42 ..

184.43

yogakṣetraṃ tapaḥ kṣetraṃ siddhagandharva sevitam.
saritaḥ sāgarāḥ śailā nāvimukta-samābhuvi .. 184.43 ..

184.44

bhūrloke cāntarikṣe ca divi tīrthāni yāni ca.
atītya vartate cānyadavimuktaṃ prabhāvataḥ .. 184.44 ..

All the sacred places located on the earth as well as in the heaven are second to this place It is the supreme of all Those who, after renouncing the world and subduing their passions recite the Rûdra Mantra a hundred times such devotees of Śiva undoubtedly enjoy in the company of the Lord Mahâdeva Those who have forsaken all desires and are firm and fixed in devotion, become free from fear after attaining Śiva and are never born —44-48

184.45

ye tu dhyānaṃ samāsādya muktātmānaḥ samāhitāḥ.
sanniyamyendriyagrāmaṃ japanti śatarudriyam .. 184.45 ..

184.46

avimukte sthitā nityaṃ kṛtārthāste dvijātayaḥ.
bhavabhaktiṃ samāsādya ramante tu suniścitāḥ .. 184.46 ..

184.47

saṃhṛtya śaktitaḥ kāmān viṣayebhyo bahiḥ sthitāḥ.
śaktitaḥ sarvato muktāḥ śaktitastapasi sthitāḥ .. 184.47 ..

184.48

kāraṇānīha cātmānamapunarbhavabhāvitāḥ.
taṃ vai prāpya mahātmānamīśvarannirbhayāḥ sthitāḥ .. 184.48 ..

184.49

na teṣāṃ punarāvṛttiḥ kalpakoṭiśatairapi.
avimukte tu gṛhyante bhavena vibhunā svayam .. 184.49 ..

They are not born even after hundreds and billions of Kalpas As the ocean is full of various kinds of gems so is Avimukta full of many attributes This place is the giver of delusion to the non-devotees and devotion to those who are staunch adherents of Śiva The fools regarding this as cremation ground, do not consider it to be the foremost of all the sacred places and the learned do not abandon it, in spite of hundreds of obstacles They go to such a place whence they are never reborn and are liberated from the pangs of old age, death, etc They go direct to the realm of Śiva.—49 53

184.50

utpāditaṃ mahākṣetraṃ sidhyante yatra mānavāḥ.
uddeśamātraṃ kathitā avimuktaguṇāstathā .. 184.50 ..

184.51

samudrasyeva ratnānāmavimuktasya vistaram.
mohanaṃ tadabhaktānāṃ bhaktānāṃ bhaktivardhanam .. 184.51 ..

184.52

mūḍhāste tu na paśyanti śmaśānamiti mohitāḥ.
hanyamāno'pi yo vidvān vasedvighnaśatairapi .. 184.52 ..

184.53

sa yāti paramaṃ sthānaṃ yatra gatvā na śocati.
janma mṛtyu jarā muktaḥ paraṃ yāti śivālayām .. 184.53 ..

184.54

apunarmaraṇānāṃ hi sā gatirmokṣa kāṅkṣiṇām.
yāṃ prāpya kṛtakṛtyaḥ syāditi manyeta paṇḍitaḥ .. 184.54 ..

Those who are desirous of beatitude beget such as causes them the utmost gratification The end attained by the mere residence at Avimukta tîrtha is not obtained even by charities asceticism, sacrifices and Divine-Knowledge, etc.—54 55

184.55

na dānairna tapobhirvā na yajñairnāpi vidyayā.
prāpyate gatiriṣṭā yā hyavimuktetu labhyate .. 184.55 ..

184.56

nānāvarṇā vivarṇāśca caṇḍālā ye jugupsitāḥ.
kilbiṣaiḥ pūrṇadehāśca prakṛṣṭaiḥ pātakaistathā .. 184.56 ..

The best remedy for all sinners is their attainment of Avimukta tîrtha The various classes of people dying at Avimukta tîrtha in their attachment for Śiva are never re-born The meditation sacrifices, asceticism and charity performed at Avimukta-tîrtha beget everlasting fruits, and those who die there attain supreme bliss The sinner, repenting on thousands of his sins going there attains felicity Those who die there need not think of Uttarâyaṇa or Dakṣiṇâyana, for every hour for them is equally auspicious There is no occasion for thinking of auspiciousness or inauspiciousness there, for that place, owing to the glory of Śiva, is always sacred Thus all the Risis heard the glory of such a sanctified place and of Śiva from Svâmikartika, and began to meditate over them —56 63

184.57

bheṣajaṃ paramaṃ teṣāmavimuktaṃ vidurbudhāḥ.
jātyantarasahasreṣu hyavimukte mriyeta yaḥ .. 184.57 ..

184.58

bhakto viśveśvare deve na sa bhūyo'bhijāyate.
yatra ceṣṭaṃ hutaṃ dattaṃ tapastaptaṃ kṛtaṃ ca yat .. 184.58 ..

184.59

sarvamakṣayametasminnavimukte na saṃśayaḥ.
kālenoparatā yānti bhave sāyujyamakṣayam .. 184.59 ..

184.60

kṛtvā pāpasahasrāṇi paścāt santāpametya vai.
yo vimukte viyujyeta sa yāti paramāṅgatim .. 184.60 ..

184.61

uttaraṃ dakṣiṇaṃ cāpi ayanaṃ na vikalpayet.
sarvasteṣāṃ śubhaḥ kālo hyavimukte mriyanti ye .. 184.61 ..

184.62

na yatra kālo mīmāṃsyo śubho vā yadi vā śubhaḥ.
tasya devasya māhātmya-sthānamadbhuta karmaṇaḥ .. 184.62 ..

184.63

sarveṣāmeva nāthasya sarveṣāṃ vibhunā svayam.
śrutvedaṃ ṛṣayaḥ sarve skandena kathitaṃ purā
avimuktāśramaṃ puṇyaṃ bhāvayet karaṇaiḥ śubhaiḥ .. 184.63 ..