Kashi Mahima

[suniti]

Shri Gurubhyo Namah
She Kashivishvanaathaaya Namah


I wanted to write on the great city of Kashi for anyone interested to read and also so i can enjoy remembering this city of light. The more i tried to read though the more i realized it is a very vast topic. I thought instead i will right a little about the city and some thirtha sthaans as well as a few types of Kashi Yatra.

Kashi is also called Varanasi as two rivers form its borders, Varuna and Assi river both converge with Ganga on each end forming the city of Varanasi.

Kashi is famous for many ancient temples, mainly the Jyotirlinga of Kashi Vishvanatha. There are too many ancient temples to count especially once we get into the galis. Near Vishvatha Baba is the ancient Annapurna temple, not far from that is Shakti Peetha of Vishalaakshi and Kashikapuraadinaatha Shri Kalabhairava. Away from this on the way to Assi Ghat there is the famous Sankat Mochan Temple and Durga Kund.


The sacred Ganga flows along this city and makes Her sharp northward turn here.
One can see the ghats all by boat, from Rajghat to Assi Ghat, in between seeing the famous Dashashwamedha Ghat and burning ghats Manikarnika and Harishchanda.

Any tapas taken up in Kashi yields intensified merits. Fasting for a day in Varanasi is said to give the merits of doing one Chandrayana Vrata (increasing and decreasing ones food proportional to the moons waxing and waning) or Kricchra Vrata. If Mauna is observed for 15 days in Kashi it is said to be equivalent to observing silence for one's entire life. Most of all being in Kashi i think it comes naturally to take up some austerity or anushtaana. Some places are said to give siddhi as well.

There are many places in Kashi that even if you live there its possible you wouldn't have heard of some of them. There are also different ways of doing Kashi Yatra by taking bath in different Ghats of Ganga or other places or visiting certain temples. Some of these Yatras are done just for ones sake or it can be for a prayaschitta or for pleasing a certain diety.

"Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together."
Mark Twain

[suniti]

Shri Gurubhyo Namah

Kashi Yatra as prescribed traditionally consists of having bath at various ghats. Many pilgrims undertake the Panchathirtha yatra of Kashi where a dip is taken at five of the major ghats in the Gangaji. The ghats are all visited in a certain order. First a bath is taken at Asi Ghat, then Dasaswamedha Ghat, then, Adi Keshava ghat which is near to the Varuna sangam, next is Pancha-ganga ghat, and finally the famous Manikarnika ghat. After taking bath at these five places, one then visits Kashi Visvanatha temple, Annapurna, and Sakshi Vinayaka and other nearby temples. If all of this is done on the same day the belief is that one will no longer be reborn. There is also a shorter version of this called Tri-thirtha yatra where the baths are at Dashashwamedha, Panchaganga and Manikarnika ghats. This is also said to release one from samsara according to purana.


Dwithirtha yatra is bath at Panchaganga and Manikarnika ghat and Ekathirtha yatra is only at Manikarnika Ghat.It is very important to visit Kala Bhairava as many say the punya of Kashi Yatra is given only when His darshan is taken.

Ganga-taranga-ramaneeya-jataakalaapam,
Gauri-nirantara-vibhushita-vaamabhaagam.
Narayanapriyam-ananga-madaapahaaram,
Vaaranasi-pura-patim bhaja Vishvanaatham
Veda Vyaas

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

Dear Sunithaji,

A nice article from u Sunithaji . On reading this article , i remembered a long time back u requested me to write something in ur thread. Therefore I am glad to write here about the Mahatwa of Sindhu Nadhi. I hope u and readers of this forum would bear my kinglish ( kannada + English ) as i am not proficient in english like AB.

This is a story related to one Brahman who lived in Kashi nagar by name Deva datta and this is taken from Sanath kumar Samhitha---- Samvad between Narada and sanathkumar maharshi

Godess Durga.jpg

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

The mahima and the leela of the ruler of this prapancha ( universe ) Sri-Chakra Mahanagar Samrajne Sri Rajarajeshwari is boundless. Various punya Nadhis and Mahanadhis got birth from her shareera and her tears----- Said in Devi Bagawatha.

From her tejass and shareeras kirana, nadhi and mahanadhis gets jeeva kala ( not Kaala), her smile itself is its ( mahanadhis ) flow and its fulness, her angry is its powerful current / waves. But some times it becomes vipareetha.----said in Tripura rahasya.

Every rishi and maharshis, devathas got their ishtartha by praying Jaganmatha. It made them to write many granthas along with prayaschitta vidhis for the betterment of manav kula.

In Kratha yuga---------Sathya and dharmacharana existed,
In Tretha yuga---------Dharmaparipalana, belief and vishwas existed,
In Dwapara yuga -----when these yugas passed by, Sathya- Dharma took part only when occassion arised,
In Kali yuga ----------Every thing is in opposite direction. Manavas entwined by their papa , punya karmas gets their phala accordingly. But which ever the yuga comes or passess by--- Sathya and Dharma will not get even the slightest remark.


To be continued------------------

[suniti]

Dear Rao Sir

wow
am eagerly awaiting the continuation
thanks so much, we are very blessed indeed to be able to learn from someone like you.

Pranaams
suniti c

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

Thanks Sunithaji !

As per Bagawanths divya vani, he will appear in this world as avathar purusha and protects dharma----said in Geetha.

For everything only Kaala is pradhana ( important), only Kaala can teach us a lesson, only Kaala can give the answer. One day everyone of us has to disappear in this Kaala Garbha--- said in Bhagwatha.

It is said:-

Thousands of years ayusha in -----Kratha yuga,
half of the above ayusha in -------Tretha yuga,
half of tretha yugas ayusha in ----Dwapara yuga,
but in Kali yuga there is no ayusha nirnaya, ayusha is not fixed in kali yuga.
One may die immediately after the birth or
may die when he is in Maathr garbha or
may die in akaal marana after some time.

Thus Kaala nirnaya is decided by Jaganmatha herself.

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

We have been followed by our own Karma. Like the phrase----" Buddhi Karmanu Sarini ", we some times entangled in our karma by the headless activities ( buddhi heena , mathi heena ) and does the Karma which only increases in a/c of Bad Karma.

What is that karma ?,
What is its swaroopa ?,
how it fetches us ?,
how that karma gives troubles and pain to us ?,
with this, what we experiemce?

All those vichaars is this Sindhu Nadhis Lekhana


One will get thousands of punya phala if he does the Nadi or Samudra snana during Amavasya, Poornima, Sankramana punya kaal.

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

In poorva kaal in Kashi nagar, there lived one brahmanotham by name Devadatta. His wifes name is Shantha, Daily they visit Kashi Vishwanatha temple, pray Vishwanatha and Vishalakshi and were doing athithi sathkar to yathris in their place . Their keerthi spread all over the world . Every one started praising this brahmans mahath kaarya and compared him to Indra of deva loka.

With this , Devadatta got elated and started doing anna santharpana with ahankar and gradually reduced his bhakthi and shraddha. His wife Shantha noted the change in the attitude of her husband, tries to remind him about the dharma sookshma and often corrected his mistakes.

For few days Devadatta obeyed the advise of his wife and lateron he even refused to listen her any more, started showing ahankar.

Kalavashaath, Karmavashaath no one is there in front of Bagawanthas sankalpa, no one can stand against the sankalpa of Bagawantha. Only his wife could able to read what is the sankalpa of Jaganmatha ?

To be continued--------------------------

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

One day Parashiva swaroopa Doorvasa mahamuni came to Kashi nagar to test this brahman dampathis. On hearimg the visit of Muni Doorvasa to Kashi , couples humbly requested munivaryas to recieve athithi sathkar at brahmans home and gave argya, achamya etc and entertained Muni and his deciples and made him to sit in a simhasan, touched Munis feet.

Doorvasa Muni silently watched the bhakthi and shraddha of this brahman for 2 days and said----

" hey brahman, why should u do the athithi sathkar when u donot have bhakthi, shraddha, kaya, vacha, manassu. To whose punya are u doing this ? "

It is well known that Doorvasa Muni is famous for his anger, maha kopishta. He had the shakthi to curse any one , whether that person is manava or devatha. He is Devi upasaka. That is why his shrap is having that much shakthi and mahatwa.

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

On hearing this , the wife of that brahman---" Shantha " pleaded Doorvasa Muni to cooldown and begged his anugraha. But that brahman Mr Devadatta refused to bend before Doorvasa Muni and cared least towords Muni.

On realising the attitude of brahman, Doorvasa Muni at once took the water from his Kamandalu ,cursed that brahman-------

" Let ur athithi sathkar be of no use, when u dont have bhakthi and shraddha. Let u be born as a Rakshas in a dushta aranya who hunt the animals to eat ! "

Every one has to fear for Kaala. Doorvasa Munis Shraap touched him. At once that brahman turned into a ghora rakshas in a dushta aranya.

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

Devadattas wife Shantha pleaded, begged, cried before Doorvasa muni. On seeing the bhakthi of this lady and from Jaganmaths prerana, Doorvasa Muni said------

" hey sadhvimani, my shrap has touched him, i cannot revoke it. but u will have the anugraha of Maatha SriChakra devatha Kashi Vishalakshi. Lateron ,after few years your pathi will have the darshan of Agasthya Maharshi when he makes yatra to Kashi nagar. Only from that rishi the shrap on your husband will get mukthi.
After saying these , Doorvasa muni walked away from that place.

One day as per Jaganmathas prerana , sakshath Shiva swaroopa Agasthya Mahamuni gave his darshan to this brahman while he was in yatra to Kashi nagar.

Agasthya muni from his divya drishti could read all the vichars about Devadatta and the curse by Doorvasa Muni. Agasthya Muni took that brahman Devadatta to Sindhu Nadhi, arranged the prayaschitta homa, ordered Devadatta to take bath in sindhu nadhi as per vidhi, vidhan. accordingly Devadatta completed the vidhi , vidhan and could able to get back his previous roopa. Thus Devadatta got rid off rakshas roopa , touched agasthya Munis feet who brought him to original roopa of a brahman. At that time Agasthya Muni said--------

" hey brahmanothama , no one is shaswath in this srashti, everything will come as per poorva janmas sukrutha, every thing will go away one day , only Jaganmatha is shaswath.

Hereafter leave your dushta ahankar, do your karthavya with bhakthi, shraddha, kaya-vacha and with devotion. In case you dont have anything, take one Tulasi leaf and say-- Govinda or else everything will be Shivarpanamasthu.

Pray Jaganmatha lalitha devi and surrender everything to devathas. Donot feel ahankar. U got rakshasthwa by this ahankar, take bath in Nadhi , relinquish your papa.Since this Nadhi helped u to relinquish your all papas, I hereby give all my shakthi to this Nadhi to be a punyabaritha to make you once again Loka vikyath . "

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

After giving Vara to this Nadhi, Agasthya Muni remained there for few days , prayed Parvathi - Parameshwar and started his yatra towords south.

Later on, this brahman dampathis prayed Parvathi-Parameshwar came to Kashi nagar , continued their poorvachara vritthi and at last one day they both surrendered their shareera to the feet of Kashi Vasa Vishwanatha-Vishalakshi.

In this story what we understand is ---- infront of daiva shakthi, kaala niyama and kaala we are nothing- nobody. Kaala provides the answer for everything.

So pray Kaala Swaroopa Shanaischara, devatha who wore Kaala in her shareera SriChakra Devatha Mahanagar Samrajne Sri Rajarajeshwari, relinquishing ahankar and dushta pravrathi, taking snana ( bath ) in this sacred Sindhu Nadhi, let us recieve the Bagawathis darshan and be puneetha.

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

All these vichars comes in the samvad between Narada and Sanath kumar Maharshi.
Sanaka,
Sanandana,
Sanathkumar,
Sanassajatha munis
are Brahma Manasa puthras, Paramathma Swaroopas. Among them Sanatkumar Muni is sakshath Sri Subramanyeshwara Swami. Through him all these vichars came into this loka . So let us pray Shanmukha, drink the water of Sindhu Nadhi and be krathartha.

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

Therefore let us once in our life time, take bath or snan in this Sindhu Nadhi and be krathartha

Jyothisha :-

Mesha Rashi---------------Ganga Nadhi,
Vrishabha-----------------Narmada,
Mithuna-------------------Saraswathi,
Karka---------------------Yamuna,
Simha--------------------Godavari,
Kanya---------------------Krishna,
Tula-----------------------Kaveri,
Vrischika-----------------Tamraparni,
Dhanu-----------------Sindhu Nadhi,
Makara-------------------Tungabhadra,
Kumba-------------------Bhima,
Meena-------------------Praneetha Nadhi

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

Every year people celebrate the day when GURU BAGWAN enetrs the rashi is called as Pushkar day

any one who take bath/snan on the day when Guru in perticular rashi and nadhi will give them maha punya phala-------Bhagwath purana

First 12 days of rashi pravesh kaal and the last 12 days of rashi anthya kaal, the above mentioned Nadhi will have the bala. Remaining days the Nadhi will have the bala only during early morning or in the afternoon between 1 to 1.30pm.

[P.Srinivas. Rao]

Jala Rashis:-

Makara-Karka-Meena-------------------------Poorna jala rashi,
Mesha-Tula-Vrischika-------------------------Paada jala rashi,
Simha-Dhanu-Kanya-Mithuna----------------Nirjala,
Vrishabha-Kumba-----------------------------Ardha jala rashi

as per Jyothish shastra--- begining 3 days of Karka Maasa ( when Ravi in Karkataka rashi ), all the Nadhis become impure( because of rajaswale or mensus ) and hence it is not suitable for taking bath / snan or conducting any Karma during these days in these Nadhis.

I sincerely thank Sunithiji for having given the opportunity to write in her column. I pray Sri Rajarajeshwari to bless her and her family with all the happiness to come.

Thanks.

Tips:-
In Janma jataka , if Guru is Badakadipathi and Vakra , then that jataka will not get any shubha phala from any Shanthi homa, pooja etc. That means no parihara is effective.

In janma jataka if lagnadipathi is neecha , then that jataka will not get any shubha phala from any Shanthi pooja , homa etc or no parihar is effective to the jataka.

[suniti]

Dear Rao Sir,

Please dont say thanks to me.
We all are very greatfull and fortunate that you share your knowledge with us and that knowledge which you have is paaramparic in Jyotish and Shastra and very valuable for us.
Pranams
suniti c