Viśveśvara Jyotirliṅga

Viśveśvara, also called Viśvanātha, is the seventh of the twelve Jyotirliṅgas, the self-arisen liṅgas of light of Śiva (a liṅga is Śiva’s sacred sign or form). It is at Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) on the Gaṅgā.

Kāśī is the holiest of all tīrthas (holy places). It was made before creation itself and rests on Śiva’s trident. It is the place where Śiva whispers the tārakabrahma (the mantra that carries one across) into the ear of every dying person, giving them sāyujya moksha, liberation in union with him, at once. The Koṭi Rudra Saṃhitā of the Śiva Purāṇa gives a detailed account of Kāśī’s greatness in the whole universe, of the tīrthas within it, and of its unique gift: liberation for all who die within its borders, whatever their past karma.

Location

Kāśī, the present-day city of Vārāṇasī in Uttar Pradesh, stands on the western bank of the Gaṅgā. It is one of the seven holiest cities of Bhārata (the saptapurī) and is seen as the highest tīrtha among all tīrthas. The Viśvanātha temple, though rebuilt many times through history, has always stood on this spot.

Kāśī’s Place in the Universe

Kāśī Before Creation

Kāśī is not an ordinary city that became holy because of events in time. The Koṭi Rudra Saṃhitā says that Kāśī existed before the universe was created. When Śiva began the work of creation, he set Kāśī on the tip of his trident. It rests there still, above the cycles of dissolution and new creation. When pralaya (the dissolution of the universe) comes and all the worlds sink under water, Kāśī alone remains, held up on Śiva’s trident. So it is called the avimukta-kshetra, “the place never forsaken”.

Viśveśvara, Master of the Universe

The name Viśveśvara means “the Īśvara (master, ruler) of the universe (viśva)”. At Kāśī, Śiva is present not just as one form among many but as the ruler of all creation. The city itself is seen as Śiva’s body, its land laid out over his presence. Every well, tank, river-ghāṭ and lane in Kāśī is held to be holy.

The Tāraka Mantra: Liberation for All Who Die at Kāśī

The most extraordinary teaching of the Kāśī māhātmya (the text in praise of Kāśī) is this: anyone who dies within the borders of Kāśī receives moksha (liberation), whatever their past karma, their varṇa, their conduct or their level of jñāna (spiritual knowledge). This is because Śiva himself, as Viśvanātha, whispers the tārakabrahma into the ear of every dying person. This liberating mantra is taken to be the praṇava Oṃ, or the name of Rāma, in different traditions. This direct gift from Parameśvara to the departing jīva (soul) destroys all its stored-up karma and places it straight into liberation.

This teaching makes Kāśī a unique exception to the usual law of karma and rebirth. Other holy places may lessen karma or speed up spiritual growth. Kāśī alone promises final liberation to all who die within it.

The Holy Tīrthas of Kāśī

The Koṭi Rudra Saṃhitā names the main tīrthas within Kāśī, each with its own holiness:

• Maṇikarṇikā Ghāṭ: the holiest cremation ghāṭ, where the earring (maṇikarṇikā) of Śiva or of Satī fell. Bodies cremated here are cremated in Śiva’s own presence.
• Daśāśvamedha Ghāṭ: the place of ten (daśa) aśvamedha yajñas (horse sacrifices), performed by Brahmā or by King Divodāsa. Its ritual power equals that of performing ten horse sacrifices.
• Maṇikarṇikā Kuṇḍa: the sacred tank linked with Maṇikarṇikā.
• The Kāśī Viśvanātha temple grounds: the central shrine of Viśveśvara.

The Teaching of the Avimukta-Kshetra

Kāśī is called avimukta, the place that Śiva never leaves. Even when Śiva withdraws from other places, he stays in Kāśī. When the great cycles of time end and all creation dissolves, Kāśī lives on, on Śiva’s trident. This is the highest sign of Śiva’s compassion: he keeps one place in creation from which no devotee can ever be turned away, where liberation is promised to all.

Why It Matters

Viśveśvara at Kāśī holds a unique place among the twelve Jyotirliṅgas. It is not just a holy place but the very centre of liberation. Other Jyotirliṅgas give darśana (sacred sight), protection and puṇya (spiritual merit). Kāśī alone gives sure moksha to every being who dies within it. The teaching that Śiva himself gives the liberating mantra at the moment of death shows the deepest nature of his grace: it reaches those who could not reach him by their own effort.

Sources

• Śiva Purāṇa, Koṭi Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapters 22–23