Kashi is older than the civilization itself. It is twice ancient than the history known to the mankind. The mysterious feeling, I get when I am in the streets of Kashi is beyond words. When I pass through the ‘gallis’ of Kashi, it gives me joy which I cannot pen and articulate. Every house here sings the ballets of history, the ballets of transition from the Vedic area to contemporary Kashi. Every temple wants itself to be explored. Every step in this holy city is a remembrance of its greatness. Skanda Purana confirms this:
na taadrg dharma sambhaaro labhyate kratu kotibhih / yaadrg varanasi vithi sancharena pade pade
Even after performing crores of Yajnas one cannot acquire the opulence which one can get at every step while walking in the lanes of Kashi. (Kashi Khanda 86.42)
Lord Rudra is always walking in the lanes of Kashi chanting the holy name of Lord Rama. Anyone who dies here gets to hear the rama taraka mantra by Lord Shiva, thus guaranteeing the liberation. (Kurma Purana 1.31.60)
tatra sakshan mahadevo dehante svayam ishwaraha / vya chashte tarakam brahma tathevaikam vimuktidam
Kashi is one of the seven moksha puris, however it is unique compared to other six cities of liberation. In other cities, one gets liberation only when one acquires the eligibility by performance of the punyas. But, in this city anyone who dies irrespective of the pious credits or desire to achieve liberation, one gets liberated. (Padma Purana)
The word Kashi comes from the root word kas which means to shine. This holy place shines with effulgence of Lord Narayana while He performed tapasya at the beginning of the creation. Although Kashi is the part of this creation, yet it is not created by Lord Brahma. Lord Shiva personally protects it at the time of dissolution by holding it on his trishula. The trident of Lord Shiva is constantly protecting Kashi by going around it.
Kashi is famous by various names such as Varanasi which means this holy city is situated in the area between the sangams of River Assi with Ganga and River Vaarana (or Varuna) with Ganga. Kashi is also known as Ananda Kanana as it gives pleasure to Lord Shiva. It is also called as Avimukta Kshetra because it provides liberation to the living entities. It is one of the seven cities which can grant one liberation instantly. Because there are funeral pyre burning without a stop in Kashi, it is also called as Mahasmashana. Many devotees visit Kashi just to shed their mortal coils and achieve the abode of the Supreme Lord.
Varanasi is the oldest city in the world. In fact, it is the oldest living civilization on this planet. The city has been mentioned in the Rig Veda Samhita as well as the Sthapatha Brahmana. Lord Shiva is always residing in Varanasi although the city is occupied by the pretas.
Puranas measure the city of Varanasi for five yojanas with Madhyameshwar in its centre. The Nagara Khanda of Skanda Purana states that in the four yugas the city gets shaped differently. In the Satya-yuga, it is shaped like a trishula, in the Treta-yuga it is shaped like a chakra, in the Dwapara-yuga it is shaped like a chariot and in the Kali-yuga it is shaped like a conch.
Kashi Yatra
Kashi Yatra must be embarked by every follower of Sanatana Dharma. Visiting Varanasi must be one’s agenda. The Skanda Purana says that one must keep saying, “I will go to Kashi”, “I will settle in Kashi”; this itself shall achieve result of residing in Varanasi. The greatness of Kashi Yatra is such that just by seeing the person returning from Varanasi, one’s sins are washed away.
In the earlier days, visit to Varanasi would be considered as a lifetime achievement and if one did not visit Varanasi, that person would consider himself unfortunate with the most cherished desire unfulfilled till death. In today’s times when the travel has advanced so much, visiting Varanasi multiple times is an investment into one’s spiritual life.
It is a fact that even 1 lifetime is not enough to have darshan of all the holy places in Varanasi, however if you are determined, and you visit Varanasi multiple times, you shall be able to have darshan of at least 1000 tirthas or temples. Puranas enlist more than 2000 tirthas in Varanasi. Puranas also enlist yearly yatras to be performed in Varanasi on specific tithis.
janmantara sahastreshu yat papam samuparjitam / avimuktam pravishtasya tat sarvam vrajati kshayam
Sins accumulated over thousands of births are dissolved just as a devotee enters Kashi. (Kashi Khanda 64.91)
At least once before one’s death, one must visit Kashi and have darshan of its tirthas. If one stays in Kashi for 3 nights, one is awarded the result equivalent to performance of Ashwamedha and Rajasuya Yajnas. (Kashi Khanda 26.92)
yat punyam ashwamedhena yat punyam raajasuyataha / kashyam tat punyam apnotu triratra shayana adhyami
namapi grihalatam kashyah sadaivas tva nasah kshayaha
Just by uttering the name Kashi, the sins of the devotee are pardoned. (Kashi Khanda 26.81)
What draws the whole world to Kashi, is the enchanting Sri Vishwanatha Temple, the temple where Lord Vishwanatha is meditating on His ista devata Prabhu Sri Ramachandra always. The place where Lord Shiva is holding Lord Keshava in His heart always. It is from here that Lord Vishwanatha protects the holy city of Varanasi. The Vishwanatha Temple is one of the Dwadasha Jyotirlingas of Bharatavarsha and the most visited Jyotirlinga.
In Varanasi pilgrims get lost into its mysterious maze to discover themselves. The transcendental city of Varanasi shall continue to attract devotees like a magnet. Every time I visited this Avimukta Kshetra, it inspired me to visit it again. And every time I visit it, I discover a part of myself which connects me to the lotus feet of Lord Keshava. Varanasi can be only found and not just read. The rest depends on you.
Holy places to visit in Varanasi
As I have mentioned above there are thousands of temples in Varanasi which makes practically an impossible task to visit all the temples in just one go and more so impractical for me to jolt down all the temples with their unlimited glories. You are invited to read the Kashi Khanda of Skanda Purana to know in detail about this divine city. The various temples in Varanasi are grouped as various yatras like Chappan Vinayaka Yatra, Shodasha Keshava Yatra, etc.
I would recommend you join me for the Kashi Yatra for a fully ready package to visit the ancient temples of Kashi along with hearing their glories as you visit them. But beware this tour is only for those who are interested in discovering themselves in Kashi.
Some of the prominent temples are mentioned below. Click to read more about them.
Sri Vishwanatha Temple
Sri Vishwanath Temple is the center of attraction of this holy city. Vishwanath Temple is one of the Dwadasha Jyotirlingas. This temple was razed down several times by the Islamic Kings like Aurangzeb however it has always been rebuilt. Kashi is Avinashi. It is never destroyed.
Annapurna Devi Temple
Annapurna Devi Temple is another famed temple in Varanasi. Mother Annapurna feeds those who visit the city of Vishwanath. No one goes hungry in this holy city.
This sacred Shakti Peetha is counted one amongst the 51 Shakti Peethas as well as one among the 18 Shakti Peethas glorified by Adi Shankaracharya. This is the place where Mother Sati’s eye fell.
Dundi Vinayaka Temple
Because Lord Ganesha helped Lord Shiva achieve his most cherished desire of living in the Avimukta Puri, Lord Shiva blessed the formed with the protection of the society.
Dandapani Temple
Dandapani takes care of the citizens of Kashi. Those devotees who keep performing sinful reactions are driven out from Varanasi by Dandapani. He punished them.
Kaal Bhairava is the protector of Varanasi. He is Security Incharge of this holy city. Actually there are 79 temples dedicated to Bhairava here out of which 8 are very prominent.
Bindu Madhava Temple
Unknown to many Lord Bindu Madhava is the Adipati of the Vishnu Varanasi. He blessed Bindu Rishi at the Pancha Ganga Ghat and manifested a very charming form of Himself. He is one of the 16 Keshavas here.
Durga Kund Mandir was established by the Kashinaresh. Devi Durga is protecting this Holy Dham by her presence here.
Sankat Mochan Temple houses Swayambhu Vigraha of Bhakta Hanuman here. Tulsidas had darshan of Bhakta Hanuman in this spot.
Lolarka Kunda
Lolarka Kunda is one among the 12 Aditya Temples in Kashi. When Suryadev visited Kashi on the instructions of Lord Shiva, He got enchanted by this Holy City and stayed here in 12 forms.
At this spot, Lord Narayana kept His foot first while He came to take away the city from the rule of Divodasa for the sake of Lord Shiva. This place is also known as Padodaka Tirtha. Adi Keshava Temple is the most ancient temple here.
Pancha Lingas
Vedavyasa when He visited this holy city, He had given the importance of visiting the Pancha Lingas – Vishwanatha, Omkareshwara, Madhyameshwara, Kapardeeshwara and Kritti Vaseshwara. Visiting Kashi means having darshan of these Pancha Lingas is a must.
One has to take bath in this holy tirtha while performing the Kashi Yatra. Here Lord Narayana performed tapasya and ascertained that anyone who takes bath here in the noon, will achieve moksha ultimately.
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Comment On Kashi – The oldest living city
Yateesh
Nicely written
Shivaya vishnu roopaya Shiva roopaya Vishnave quoted by our gurus.
Shiva meditates on vishnu and Vishnu meditates on Shiva.
They are equals and equally Supreme. This document tries to show Shiva as a relatively less important deity as compared to vishnu. In the land of Kashi the Raja and the raja of entire vishwa shri Vishweshwar resides. Don’t try to show him as subordinate. It is like in your home were you are the head someone else tells that your neighbor is head of your family. Your neighbor may be head of his family in his home. But not in your home. I think I am and many Shaivites are clear about it. Har Har Mahadev!!! Om Namah Shivay! Hari om! Jai Kashi Vishwanathh!!!..