29 - The description of Kashi

Kashthila said:

1. Thus, O lady of beautiful eyebrows, that ogress who had assumed the form of a she-elephant, reached the temple of Višhvešha at Käshi within three Muhürtas.

2. On reaching that city, the lady of black eyes spoke to her husband- “O Lord, this (city) is glorified as the axe for the cutting of the tree of sin.

3. O beloved, this is said to be the dice box for the gold of six types of distresses (?) It is destructive of all seeds of Karmans, and it is the bestower of salvation on all.

4. The Puränas say that it was at first the abode of Vishnu.¹ No one can ever have salvation in a holy centre not belonging to Vishnu.

1. The claim that Kåšhi was originally an abode of Vishnu and that Shiva begged of him to give that place to himself as a permanent residence as a protection against Brahma-hatyä is a Vaishnavite tilt in the NP. The assertion that liberation in sacred place is possible only if it is presided over by Vishnu is a part of sectarian propaganda. It is also explanation why a particular Tirtha at Kåshi was called Kapåla-mochana.

5. O excellent Brähmana, this was formerly a city of Vishnu the bestower of salvation on all creatures and the destroyer of every one’s sin.

6. Once Lord Shañkara went there to see Pitämaha (god Brahmã) the sole creator of all worlds, shining with his own splendour.

7. After going there, Mahädeva bowed down to Brahma the preceptor of the worlds. He stood in front of him listening to the recital of the Vedic lore.

8. He was delighted on seeing the Lord of the Universe joyously reciting the four Vedas by means of the four wonderful faces.

9. Thereafter, the leader of goblins saw the fifth face of Brahma. On observing him to be impudent and arrogant, he became malicious instantaneously.

10. O leading Brahmana, the three-eyed deity, born of anger could not brook his audacity. Hence with the tip of his nail he cut off the head stationed above in the firmament (?)

11. O excellent Brähmana, the head of Brahma that had been severed, stuck up to the sproutlike left hand (of Shiva). It did not fall off though shaken frequently.

12. Brahmä became sad. He stood there staring at Shiva. Shiva became ashamed and he hurriedly went out of the place.

13. Though he tried in many ways impatiently to cast off that head, he could not get rid of it. It was a great mystery.

14. Being perturbed and worried he remembered Vishnu, the Garuda-emblemed deity. The moment he was remembered, Vishnu manifested himself.

15. O Brähmana, on seeing the omnipresent vishnu the Lord of the chiefs of the Devas, the bull-emblemed deity who had turned pale became humble and bent down his head.

16. On seeing (Shiva) the antagonist of Brahmä, sick and frightened, Hari consoled him and spoke these words that made him satisfied.

17. “Inasmuch as the head of Brahma had been cut off, O Shambhu, the omniscient one, you have committed a sin. Experience the fruit thereof for a short while.

18. O beloved one, a Karman performed by one, whether auspicious or inauspicious will yield its fruit which one must, of necessity, experience. Even if hundreds of births are to be taken, a Karman does not perish without being experienced.

19. What can I do? Where shall I go? On seeing you miserable, O Shambhu, at the sight of your misery, my Pränas are agitated and dispirited.

20. It is my opinion that even the most heinous of all great sins are not equal to Brâhmana-slaughter.

21. You are the preceptor of the whole world. You are the instructor in Dharma. But, overpowered by the sin of Brahmana-slaughter you are incapable of remaining quiet even for a moment.

22. This extremely terrible Hatyâ (the sin of Brâhmana-slaughter) emits fish odour; she is senile and sick; she has put out her tongue. O Lord of Devas! She is running after you to catch you.

23. Hence you must not stay in any single place for a while. For the sake of your benefit you have to be wandering (continuously) for twelve years, with the desire for the destruction of sins.

24-25. You must wander for twelve years with the skull, begging for alms, washing your left hand in the holy rivers and tanks. Then, O Lord of the Devas you will become pure and be liberated from this sin.” O Brähmana, on being advised thus by Vishnu, Shiva went over all the places.

26. In order to get rid of the skull he washed his left hand in every sacred water. Wandering thus for three years he reached the penance grove of Badarikäšhrama.

27. O bestower of honour, for the sake of alms he stood at the threshold of Dharmaputra,1 the lord of the Devas and repeatedly said- “Vishnu give me alms.”

l. Näräyana was the son of Dharma and Mürti.

(Bh. P. 1. 3.9, 11. 7.6, Mbh. Shänti 334.9-12).

28. On seeing Shiva stationed at the threshold, Lord Näräyana said— “Take the alms”. After saying this he offered his right hand.

29. On seeing Hari attempting to give the alms, O excellent Brähmana, Shiva struck his right hand with his trident.

30-33. Through the three wounds inflicted by (the three points of) the trident, three stream like jets came out. They were terrifying to the worlds. They had different colours; they were twelve Hastas high. One of the streams was of blood. It fell on the skull. The second, a milky stream, reached his face; the third, a stream of water came up to Shiva in front of him, for the sake of saving Shiva. Shiva resorted to these three streams in accordance with the injunctions for the duration of three years. Becoming a little delighted, O Brähmana, he went to the holy centre of Kurukshetra. Having gone there, he became a pillar and fell down.

34. In the holy centre of Brahma-hrada, he lay immersed in the waters of Brahmahrada. When a period of three years had elapsed he came out with half of his body wounded (?)

35. He eulogised Vishnu the Lord of the Devas, abiding in the cavity of the heart of everyone, for a long time. Then the Lord of the Universe who was pleased with him granted him the boon.

36-38. “O Hara, after wandering over many holy centres go to Kashi.”

Thereafter, he bowed down to Hari and circumambulating him wandered over many places. Making his pilgrimage duly he reached the city of Avimukta (Käšhi). After entering the limits of Avimukta, when Dhurjati (Shiva) observed, he did not see Brahmahatyä following him. She was standing outside. Knowing that it was a holy centre belonging to Vishnu and destructive of sins he became satisfied in mind and enthusiastically eulogised Vishnu, the Lord worthy of being saluted.

39. “Be victorious, be victorious, O Lord of the universe O Lord the storehouse of bliss of the entire universe, knowable only through the Vedas; O suppressor of demon Madhu, O Nrusimha, O yellow-robed one, O One riding on Garuda, O Mädhava, O primordial Lord.

40. O Lord of Ramã, the lover of Vrajas, (cowherd’s colony), Lord of Rädhâ, Lord of the Devas, the fulfiller of the desires of all, O Krishna, O foremost among the Devas, O ocean of kindness, O destroyer of anguish, O lotus-eyed, O Lord of the greatest beings.

41. O Ornament of the family of Yadu, O resident of the milky ocean, O Shauri, O archer, O expert in the art of uplifting the mountain (Govardhana), O deity having a pair of the lotus-feet that destroy the sin of Kali age, O deity who bestow favour on those who eulogise thee, O Kûrma (Divine Tortoise), O son of Kašhyapa (Vâmana).

42. O Parašhurâma—the fire for the forest of wicked kings, O Buddha with a saffron cloth that cleaned off blood from all sacrifices, O Kalkin, O remover of the fear of worldly existence, O deity governable by (i.e. under the influence of) the devotees, O cowherd, who lift up those who bow down to you, O Lord of sacred fame and name.

43. O remover of the burden of the Earth, O Lord worthy of being worshipped by the enemies of Asuras, O Lord of Prakruti, O residential abode of the whole universe, O Rãma, O Lord of the mobile and immobile beings shining with many attributes, O Lord who are beyond the three Gunas., O eternal one, O Lord worthy of being worshipped at the head of all, O Lord who protect the enemy of the annihilator Yama through your own people, O Lord with lotus-like feet, O beautiful Padmanãbha, O lotus-palmed Lord, O Lord favourite of the resident of the lotus (i.e. God Brahma), O Lord, worthy of being saluted by the destroyer of Kama and the Lord of three worlds (?)

44. O remover of sins, O Lord of the Raghus, O Lord of the Yãdavas, one who are fond of Brãhmanas, O greater than the greatest one, O Lord worthy of being worshipped by the immortal beings, O wielder of the ploughshare, O remover of sins, O Lord, worthy of being bowed to; O Lord pervaded by the three Gunas, O cleverest one in the three worlds and three units of Time.

45. O Lord with the sole duty of destroying the hosts of demons, O sinless one, O Lord lying on Shesha the king of serpents, O destroyer of Kamsa, O Lord having the sun and the moon as eyes, O Lord of powerful activities, O Lord having the lustre of fresh clouds, O Lord of the Goddess of Fortune.

46. O sacrifice, O Lord maintaining sacrifice, O Lord who were bound with a rope by your mother, O Lord fond of fresh butter, O Lord of groups of cowherd lasses, O destroyer of demons Agha, Baka, Vrusa, Kešhin and Pütanã, O destroyer of Trišhiras, Bali and the ten-headed Rãvana.

47. O destroyer of Naraka and Mura, O Lord who cut off the hands of Bãna, O Lord worthy of being worshipped by the enemy of the Tripuras, O friend of Sudäman, O Lord worthy of being served, O Lord whose lotus-like feet constitute a raft that takes one across the ocean of worldly existence, O Lord whose Aišhvarya (Lordship and prowess) is manifest, O ancient one, O One whose arms are full.

48-49. O Lord who can be attained only through the merits of many births, O Lord worthy of all auspicious things, knowable through the Vedas, O receptacle of Shrutis (Vedas) , O quiescent, pure, bestower of boons, I seek refuge in your excellent pair of feet; it destroys sins, protect me.

50. There is none who can grant salvation to me other than the ancient Purusha. Be pleased with me with this request.” The Lord of the universe, who was thus eulogised with great devotion by Lord Shambhu, Vishnu favourably disposed towards the devotees manifested himself suddenly.

51. On seeing Hari, Hara fell on the ground like a staff. O leading Brahmana, he got up again and with palms joined in reverence he bowed down to him.

52. Vishnu spoke to that leader of Bhütas (goblins) who had bowed to him— “Choose a boon, I will give it to you. I am pleased with your eulogy.”

53. On hearing the words of the Lord, Bhütesha, Lord of the goblins who had been harassed by the evil of the slaughter of a Brãhmana spoke this to Hari who is the bestower of worldly pleasures and liberation.

54. “O wielder of discus and iron club, I wish to stay in your holy centre since the ‘bràhmana-slaughter’ is seen stationed outside the limits of your holy centre.

55. O Garuda-bannered deity, be merciful to me by the gift of this holy centre. On my going out, the evil of Brähmana-slaughter will harass me again.

56. Stationed in your holy centre, I will derive worship in all the three worlds.”

After saying this to the Lord of the Devas the bull-bannered deity kept quiet.

57. The lover of Lakshmi, the daughter of the milk ocean, said “So be it” and accepted the proposal. O leading Bráhmana, ever since then, this place is mentioned as the holy centre pertaining to Shiva.

58-59. But poets knew this as the ancient holy centre of Kešhava. O excellent Brähmana, water (tears) gushed out of the eyes of Vishnu overwhelmed with sympathy. Thereby the lake called Bindusaras originated. At the behest of Vishnu, the bull-bannered Lord took his ablution there.

60. No sooner did Hara take his holy dip therein, then the skull of Brahma fell down from his hand. That sacred lake became famous by the name of Kapãlamochana.

61. Bound by the emotional feelings of devotion of Shambhu, Vishnu is stationed there by the name of Bindu-Mädhava after giving his own abode to the Trident-bearing Lord.

62. He was resorted to by the Sky-clad Shiva; he had the lustre of ten thousand suns. In this manner, Brahma and other Devas residing in Heaven ever see him.

63. O darling (husband), obstacles are put by the trident-bearing Lord (in the lives of people) so that they will serve him. People who are overwhelmed by these obstacles will eulogise Vishnu and then worship Shiva.

64-65. All those people dwell here thinking “Lord is Shiva: the city is Käšhi. O Brähmana, by thinking about Shiva, the devotees of Shiva are free from perturbation. They go to Shiva’s world devoid of old age and death. Good men endowed with many merits stay here free from ailments.

66-67. O lover of Käšhi, those who partake of the leavings of sacrifice become endowed with prosperity, O excellent Brähmana they do not extol ablution here nor Japa, nor the worship of the Devas nor charitable gifts. Excepting the abandoning of one’s physical body nothing else is praised. After courting death here, a man certainly becomes contented and blessed.

68. O Brähmana, such a city full of palaces, has been reached by us. It is conducive to the salvation of even those who indulge in worldly pleasures: what then of those who observe holy vows.

69, May this maiden who had been formerly separated from her parents by that wicked Räkshasa be left in the palace of the Lord of Käšhi.

70-72. This virgin who had been practising observances had been abducted by that Ràkshasa for sexual intercourse. Thus the power of this holy centre has been described, O excellent Brähmana. All Karmans auspicious and inauspicious, of past, present and future, perpetrated knowingly or unknowingly do perish here. It is for the destruction of Karmans that this city was formerly built by (Vishnu). Men who die therein never experience fierce and endless misery nor the tortures of Yama.