Viśveśvara, also called Viśvanātha (Lord of the Universe), is the chief Liṅga and the presiding Bhagavān Śiva of Kāśī. Chapter 99 of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa (Uttarārdha) calls it the most sacred Liṅga in all fourteen worlds. It is svayambhū (self-arisen). It came up by itself from the bottom of the seven Pātālas, out of compassion for all devotees.

The chapter records Bhagavān Śiva’s own words. He spoke in the Śṛṅgāra Maṇḍapa of Kāśī after his coronation, before Brahmā, Bhagavān Vishṇu and all the assembled devas. Right after this declaration Bhagavān Śiva did pūjā to the Liṅga himself and merged into it.

Bhagavān Śiva’s declaration

The coronation was held on the first day of the bright half of Kārttika. Afterwards Bhagavān Śiva sat in the Śṛṅgāra Maṇḍapa, facing east, with Brahmā on his right and Bhagavān Vishṇu on his left. He raised his right hand and showed the Liṅga to Brahmā and Bhagavān Vishṇu.

“Look. This is the greatest splendour. This alone is greater than the greatest. This alone is my immovable form that gives the highest siddhi.”

Then he spoke to all the assembled devas, ṛshis and Gaṇas in forty-eight verses. In them he named the fruit of each act of pūjā done to this Liṅga. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 99)

The self-arisen Liṅga

Bhagavān Śiva told how the Viśveśvara Liṅga came to be:

“This Liṅga is the home of the nectar of moksha, and from it the light of the Self shines. It has come out by itself from the bottom of the seven Pātālas, out of compassion for the devotees.”

All other Liṅgas, whether self-born or set up by someone, come to see this Liṅga. Bhagavān Śiva said: “I stay in all the Liṅgas. But this is the greatest of my forms as a Liṅga.” (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 99)

The fruit of each act of pūjā

Bhagavān Śiva named the fruit of each act in turn:

Hearing about this Liṅga. All the pāpa (sin) of one birth ends at once.
Remembering this Liṅga. All the pāpa of two births ends.
Setting out with the Liṅga in mind to see it. All the pāpa of three births ends.
Seeing the Liṅga. The puṇya (merit) of a hundred Aśvamedha yajñas.
Touching this self-arisen Liṅga. The puṇya of a thousand Rājasūya yajñas.
Offering flowers with a palmful of water, with devotion. The puṇya of giving a hundred gold pieces.
Doing pūjā to this king of Liṅgas alone. The puṇya of covering it with a thousand golden lotuses.
Pañcāmṛta pūjā. All four aims of life: dharma, artha, kāma and moksha.
Bathing the Liṅga with water filtered through cloth. The puṇya of a hundred thousand Aśvamedhas.
Smearing it with sandal paste. The devotee is anointed with divine perfume by divine maidens in svarga.
Offering incense. He becomes a vessel of divine fragrance.
Lighting a ghee lamp. He travels in a shining aerial vehicle.
Offering a camphor-wick lamp once. He gains a white body like camphor and becomes three-eyed.
Offering naivedya (food). He lives on Kailāsa for one yuga for each grain of rice.
Offering rice pudding with ghee and sugar. It is as if all three worlds, with the devas and the pitṛs, were pleased.
Offering mukhavāsa (a mouth freshener), a mirror, a chowrie and a couch. Countless puṇya.
Arranging music, dance or singing. A great triple concert of music will be present before the devotee.
Making paintings in the temple. He enjoys great pleasures, standing before Bhagavān Śiva.
Bowing to Viśveśvara once in life. He becomes lord of the earth, and all three worlds bow at his feet.
Visiting Viśveśvara but dying elsewhere. He is set free in the next birth.

(Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 99)

The three essentials

Bhagavān Śiva said before all who were gathered:

“Lifting up my hand, I say again and again: in this world of the three Vedas, only three things are essential. They are the Viśveśa Liṅga, the water of Maṇikarṇikā, and the city of Kāśī. This is the truth, the threefold truth.”

The text also says: “There is no Liṅga equal to that of Viśvanātha. There is no tīrtha other than Maṇikarṇikā. There is no tapas grove anywhere else equal to my Ānandavana.” The whole city of Vārāṇasī is called the tīrtha of all tīrthas. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 99)

Bhagavān Vishṇu stays near

At the coronation Bhagavān Vishṇu asked Bhagavān Śiva: “Let me not be far from your feet.” Bhagavān Śiva gladly agreed. He said: “O enemy of Mura, stay near me here for ever, in this home of the glory of moksha. Someone may be devoted to me. But if he comes to me without first pleasing you, his wish will not be fulfilled through me.” (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapters 98–99)

Location

The Kāśī Khaṇḍa marks out the most sacred part of Vārāṇasī. From the site of Bhagavān Śiva’s royal palace the city lies between north and east. To the left it reaches three hundred hands, up to Harishcandreśvara. To the right it reaches two hundred hands, up to Gaṅgā Keśava. In the Gaṅgā, Maṇikarṇikā stretches five hundred hands from north to south. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 99)

Bhagavān Śiva merges into the Liṅga

Bhagavān Śiva finished his declaration of forty-eight verses before the devas, ṛshis and Gaṇas. Then he rose with Pārvatī, did the excellent pūjā of the Viśveśvara Liṅga himself, and merged into that same Liṅga. All the devas cried “Be victorious! Be victorious!” and sang his praise. (Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 99)

Sources

Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Chapters 98–99.