SRI  #VADIRAJA VIRACHITA “#TEERTHA #PRABANDHA”

ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “#ತೀರ್ಥ #ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”

#KASHI KSHETRA, SRI #BINDUMADHAVA – #VISHWANATHA/

ಕಾಶೀ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ, ಶ್ರೀ ಬಿಂದುಮಾಧವ – ವಿಶ್ವನಾಥ

ರೂಪ್ಯಾಚಲೇ ಕೃತಪದೋsಪಿ ಗಿರೀಂದ್ರಪುತ್ರೀಪ್ರೇಮಪ್ರವಾಹಭರಮಾನಿತಮಾನಸೋsಪಿ|

ಕಾಶೀಮಸೀವರಣಯೋಃ ಪುರಮಂತರಾಲೇ ಪ್ರೇತಾವೃತಾಮಪಿ ಸತೀಪತಿರಧ್ಯತಿಷ್ಠತ್||23||

RUpyAchalE krutapadO(s)pi gireendraputreeprEmapravAhaBharamAnimAnasO(s)pi|

KAsheemaseevaraNayOho puramantarAlE prEtAvrutAmapi sateepatiraDhyatiShThat||23||

रूप्याचलॆ क्रुतपदॊsपि गिरीन्द्रपुत्रीप्रॆमप्रवाहभरमानितमानसॊsपि।

काशीमसीवरणयॊः पुरमन्तरालॆ प्रॆतावृतामपि सतीपतिरध्यतिष्ठत्॥२३॥

SUMMARY: Lord Mahadeva married Parvati Devi, who was Satee Devi in her previous birth. Satee Devi took birth as a daughter of Himavanta and was living on the gold-brimming Kailas Parvat. She was a satisfied and happy. Lord Mahadeva is living in a place lying between Asee and Varanaa rivers. This place is an abode of spirits and vampires. Although this area is a burial ground and is inhabited by devils, it has become a popular and outstanding pilgrimage for many people because of the presence of Lord Mahadeva there.

Kashi is believed to be the oldest city on earth. The name of Kashi appears prominently in all the Vedas. Kashi is more popular as a prominent pilgrimage dedicated to Lord Shiva.  However, according to all Scriptures and Puranas, Kashi is a pilgrim center dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It was earlier dedicated to Lord Madhava. When Lord Rudra cut one of the five heads of Lord Brahma, the slayed head of Brahma got stuck in the palm of Rudra. Lord Rudra roamed about in Badari, Kurukshetra, Brahmahrada and other pilgrim centres to get rid of the head of Brahma but to no avail. However, as soon as he put his feet on the land of Kashi, the head of Brahma fell apart. The Brahmahatya sin associated with Lord Rudra also vanished. Later, Rudra sought the permission of Vishnu to stay in Kashi. In this place, tears of joy flows out of the eyes of Lord Rudra. In Skandapurana, the following Shloka describes Kashi vividly:

BhUmiShThApi na yatra bhUstridivatO(s)pyuchchairaDhahasThApi

YA yA badDhA BhUvi muktidA syuramrutA yasyAm mrutA jantavaha|

YA nityam trijagatpavitrataTaneeteerE suraihisEvyE sAkAshee tripurArirAjanagaree pAyAdapAyAjjagat||

रूप्याचलॆभूमिष्ठापि न यत्र भूस्त्रिदिवतॊsप्युच्चैरधःस्थापि या या बद्धा भुवि मुक्तिदा स्युरमृता यस्याम् मृता जंतवः।

य़ा नित्यं त्रिजगत्पवित्रतटिनीतीरॆ सुरैःसॆव्यॆ सा काशी त्रिपुरारिराजनगरी पायादपाज्जगत्॥

GIST: May this holy city of Kashi, which is an exception to the kind of earthly cities, which, in spite of lying on earth, is holier than heavens, is limited geographically but relieves human beings from the clutches of birth and death, is located on the banks of the Holy River Bhageerathi, is adored by gods and goddesses, which is the abode of Lord Eshwara, protect us.

Even though Sri Vadirajaru has described Kashi in a single stanza, it is pregnant with meaning. More references to Kashi in holy texts will be furnished in the next episode. HAPPY CHANDRAMANA YUGADI TO ALL READERS.

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