Skandapurana 4.39

Skanda said:

“Listen, O highly fortunate Agastya, to the narrative that destroys sin,

Which is the cause of supreme beatitude and fortune, based on Avimukta.

That which is celebrated as the Supreme Brahman, devoid of the world of manifold forms, devoid of empirical selfhood,

Free from conceptual differentiation, formless, unmanifest, yet having the gross and the subtle—

Oh, that very [Brahman], although omnipresent, stands filling this sacred field!

Is He not capable elsewhere of liberating living beings from worldly existence?

Hear why worldly existence (Bhava) firmly liberates [one] precisely here:

Elsewhere, Śiva might liberate [someone] by great devotion to yoga, by great disinterested gifts,

Or by very great austerities;

Neither intense application to yoga, nor great gifts,

Nor very protracted austerities does Śiva require for liberation in Kāśī.

That which does not separate one from Kāśī, even in the midst of great adversity,

This itself is the great yoga; every other practice here is secondary.

With regular observance, whatever flower, leaf, fruit, or water

Is offered to Viśveśa with a pure mind—that indeed is a great gift here.

And whatever moment one sits steadily in the Pavilion of Liberation (Muktimaṇḍapikā),

Having bathed in the pure nectar of the Gaṅgā—this is the highest austerity here.

Whatever alms are given with honor to a mendicant in Kāśī—

The gift of one's weight in gold (tulāpuruṣa) does not equal a sixteenth part of it.

When one closes the eyes for a moment, meditating on Viśveśa in the heart...

On the southern side of the god, this is the supreme great yoga.

This itself is the most severe austerity: that having restrained

the restlessness of the senses, one stays in Kāśī, disregarding hunger, heat, and the like.

Whatever fruit is attained elsewhere month after month by the cāndrāyaṇa vow,

that is attained here merely by eating at night on the fourteenth day.

Whatever fruit is earned elsewhere by fasting for a month,

that is undoubtedly attained in Kāśī by a single fast observed with faith.

Whatever great fruit is spoken of elsewhere from the four-month vow,

that is undoubtedly attained in Kāśī by fasting on the eleventh day.

Whatever fruit one obtains elsewhere by abstaining from food for six months,

that is surely obtained in Kāśī by fasting on Śivarātri.

Whatever one keeping vows would obtain elsewhere by fasting for a year,

that entire fruit is obtained in Kāśī in three nights, O sage.

Whatever fruit is gained elsewhere month after month by drinking water from the tip of kuśa grass,

that is gained in Kāśī by a single handful of water from the north-flowing river.

The majesty of Kāśī is endless; who is capable of describing it?

Where, in the ear of a creature desiring death, the auspicious whispering occurs,

Śambhu utters something into the ear of a dying creature,

an imperishable syllable which upon hearing, even a dead one attains immortality.

Constantly remembering the city of the enemy of Smara just like you, Śaṃkara

grieved, having gone to Mount Mandara, longing repeatedly to regain it.

Agastya said:

By the gods, clever in accomplishing their own purpose and very cruel,

I was made to abandon the city of Kāśī, O Master! Why did Hara, the Lord, abandon it?

Was the god of gods, bearer of the Pināka, dependent on others like me?

Why did he abandon Kāśī, a heap of jewels of liberation?

Skanda said:

O son born of Mitra and Varuṇa, I shall tell this story,

and how Sthāṇu abandoned Kāśī due to the entreaty of Brahmā.

Just as you were entreated by the gods for the sake of helping others, O sage,

so was Rudra, clever in self-protection, entreated by Druhiṇa.

Agastya said:

How was that Lord Rudra, an ocean of compassion,

entreated by Druhiṇa, and for what purpose? Tell me that, O Six-faced One.

Skanda said:

In the past, during the Pādma Kalpa, in the Svāyambhuva Manvantara,

there was a drought, O brahmin, that shook all living beings.

Afflicted by that drought lasting sixty years, all living beings—

some on the shores of the ocean, some in mountain valleys,

and in deep lowlands—lived like ascetics.

The earth became a dense forest, devoid of villages and towns.

Carnivorous beasts alone inhabited all cities and towns;

trees touching the clouds grew everywhere across the globe.

Thieves were plundered here and there by great thieves;

living beings subsisted on a diet of flesh, preserving their lives.

When anarchy arose and the world was filled with calamity,

the effort of the Creator in creation then became fruitless.

The source of the universe felt great anxiety over the destruction of his subjects.

As the subjects were dying out, rituals such as sacrifices dwindled;

and with their decline, all the enjoyers of sacrifice became emaciated.

Then, while contemplating, the Creator saw the best of royal sages

performing austerity with steady senses in the great field of Avimukta,

a hero born of Manu's lineage, like the duties of the warrior caste personified,

the king renowned as Ripuñjaya, conqueror of enemies' cities.

Then Brahmā approached him with great respect

and spoke these words: “O King Ripuñjaya of great intellect,

protect the earth, O king, along with its oceans, mountains, and forests.

The king of nāgas will give you a nāga maiden as wife;

Vāsuki will bestow [his daughter] named Anaṅgamohinī, adorned with good character.

Even the gods from heaven will give gems and flowers.”

delighted with the protection of the subjects every moment, O great king.

Therefore you shall obtain the famous name ‘Divodāsa’.

And by my power, O king, let divine capability belong to you.”

Having heard the word of the Supreme Lord [Brahmā], that best of kings then,

having praised the Creator manifoldly, indeed spoke this word:

The king said:

“O Grandfather, O great in wisdom! On the earth teeming with people,

how are there no other kings? How is it stated by you that I [alone rule]?”

Brahmā said:

“When you are ruling, the rain-god will send down rain;

when a king is intent on sin, however, the rain-god does not rain again.”

The king said:

“O Grandfather, most venerable, capable of creating the three worlds!

‘A great favor!’ Saying this, I take your command upon my head.

I desire to make a certain request; if you will do it for my sake,

then I shall rule the earth without a rival.”

Brahmā said:

“Speak it without delay, O king! Consider it already done.

Whatever is in your heart, O mighty-armed one, nothing is to be withheld from you.”

The king said:

“If I am the lord of the earth, O Grandfather of all the worlds,

then let the gods, heaven-dwellers, stay in heaven and not on earth.

When the gods abide in heaven and I abide on the surface of the earth,

through a rival-free kingdom the subjects will attain happiness.”

Addressed with ‘So be it!’ by the Creator of the universe, King Divodāsa

had the drum beaten [proclaiming]: ‘Let the gods depart to heaven!

Let the snakes not come here; let men be at ease from now on.

While I govern the earth, let the gods be at ease.’”

In the meantime, Brahmā, having bowed down to the Lord of the Universe,

just as he desired to make an entreaty, the Lord said to the Creator:

“O Lord of the worlds, come! The mountain named Mandara,

having arrived here from Kuśadvīpa, is performing difficult austerity.

Let us go to grant him a boon, for he has been practicing austerity for a long time.”

Having spoken thus, the Lord of Pārvatī, preceded by Nandin and Bhṛṅgin,

mounted the bull and went to where Mandara was standing.

And with a gracious mind, the God of gods, who bears a bull on his banner, said:

“Arise, arise! May good fortune be yours! Ask a boon, O best of mountains!”

Then hearing Maheśāna, the God of gods, the three-eyed one,

the mountain, having bowed down repeatedly on the ground, addressed this request:

“O Śambhu, who assumest forms in play! O sole ocean of compassion for the surrendered!

Although omniscient, how is it that you do not know my desire?

O protector of those who seek refuge! O knower of all events!

O joy of the hearts of all! O Śarva, omnipresent, creator of all!

If a boon is to be given to me, who am stony-natured by birth,

a petitioner most pitiable, O destroyer of the distress of the surrendered,

then indeed I desire equality with the Avimuktakṣetra.

O Lord, having made your abode upon my crest today along with Umā and with your retinue,

let Kuśadvīpa depart [with you]—this is my boon.”

While Śambhu, the giver of everything to all, reflected for a moment,

Brahmā, perceiving an opportunity, made an entreaty to Śambhu.

Stepping forward after bowing down, with his two hands folded upon his head:

Brahmā said:

“O Lord of the Universe, O Lord of the worlds, by you, the Master, I was appointed,

having your favor granted, O omnipresent Lord, to perform the fourfold creation.

With effort that creation was brought forth by me with your permission;

there, through a drought of sixty years, the subjects on the earth were destroyed.

And there was great anarchy; the world fell into a miserable state.

Then a royal seer named Ripuñjaya, born of Manu's lineage—

that royal seer was consecrated as king by me in order to protect the subjects.

He too, possessing great prowess and great austerity, made a stipulation:

"If, by your command, all heaven-dwellers will remain in heaven,

and the Nāgas likewise in the world of the Nāgas, then I will rule."

And I said, "So be it"; let that be made authoritative.

A boon has been granted to Mandara; thus it should be, O treasure of compassion!

May this wish also be fulfilled, for the king to protect the subjects.

His rule lasts for two of my nāḍīs, as does that of Indra.

Where is the reckoning of mortals here, who blink in half a twinkling of an eye?

Thinking Mandara with its lovely caves to be pure, the god too,

respecting the dignity of Brahmā, Hara consented accordingly.

Just as Kāśī in Jambudvīpa always bestows the state of nirvāṇa,

so that Mandara became an island for a long period of time.

And as the god wished to go to Mandara of wondrous caves,

a liṅga made of his own form, unknown even to Brahmā,

was established, to bestow all perfections upon its establishers,

to grant the highest ultimate felicity to distressed creatures,

and to guard the sacred field of all who dwell here.

Though he went to Mount Mandara, this sacred field was not abandoned by the wielder of Pināka

in the form of the liṅga; therefore it is remembered as Avimukta.

Formerly, this sacred field was celebrated by the name Nandavana;

from that time forth, its name became renowned on earth as Avimukta.

The name Avimukta belonged to both: the sacred field and the liṅga.

Having attained both of these, one will not partake of a womb again.

Having seen the Avimukteśvara liṅga in the Avimukta sacred field,

one is indeed liberated from all bondage of karma.

All beings worship Viśveśa; Viśveśa, the creator of all, worships

the Avimukteśvara liṅga, which bestows liberation on earth.

Formerly, no liṅga had been established anywhere by anyone;

no one even knew of what shape a liṅga might be.

Having seen the form of Avimukta, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and others,

along with the seers headed by Vasiṣṭha, established liṅgas.

This great Avimukteśvara is declared to be the primordial liṅga;

thereafter, other liṅgas arose here on the circle of the earth.

Even by merely hearing the name of the Lord of Avimukta, a mortal,

is freed in an instant from sin accumulated over a lifetime; no doubt should be entertained here.

Even one who has gone far away, by remembering the Avimukteśvara liṅga,

is liberated in an instant from sin committed in two lifetimes.

And gazing upon Avimukta in the great sacred field of Avimukta,

leaving behind sin produced in three lifetimes, one becomes full of merit.

Whatever sin has been committed in five lifetimes due to a lapse in knowledge,

is destroyed simply by touching the Lord of Avimukta, and not otherwise.

Having worshipped the great liṅga Avimukteśvara, a man

becomes one whose task is done here; whence would he partake in rebirth?

Having praised, bowed to, and worshipped according to one's capacity and intelligence,

the Lord of Liberation in Avimukta, one is praised, bowed to, and worshipped.

This beginningless liṅga, worshipped by Viśveśvara himself,

must be served with effort in Kāśī, at Avimukta, for the sake of liberation.

There are many liṅgas in holy sanctuaries;

those liṅgas arrive when the fourteenth day of Māgha arrives.

On the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha, by keeping vigil for the Lord of Avimukta,

one shares the destiny of the yogi who is ever free from sleep.

The liṅgas in various sanctuaries, even though granting the four goals of life,

worship Avimukta on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha.

Why should a steadfast man fear a mountain of accumulated sin,

if he bears the thunderbolt of devotion to the liṅga of the Lord of Avimukta?

Where is the great Avimukta liṅga, yielding the fruit of the four goals of life,

and where is a sinner's petty mountain of sin, which dwindles when filled with the name?

Those who have not seen the excellent Avimukta liṅga

in the great sacred field of Avimukta, presided over by Viśveśa, are utterly deluded.

Beholding one who has seen Avimukta, Yama, the staff-bearer,