Page 45 - Amrit Varta - Issue Feb. 2023 - English

Vol. 27, No.1, February 2023 MA ANANDAMAYEE AMRIT VARTA 35

Compassionate Shree Shree Ma’s Aheytuki Kripa

Sw. Narayananand Tirth

(continued from before)
Inception of Shree Shree Ma’s Kashi Ashram
Kashi is the foremost place of pilgrimage for the followers of Sanatan
Dharma. On its North is Varuna river and on it South is the Assi river. The area
between these two rivers is called as Varanasi or Kashi. The Lord of Kashi is
none other than Dev-Aadi-Dev Mahadev (Lord Shiva). And this holy city is
situated on the western bank of the sanctifying River Ganga. The holy waters of
Bhagirathi Ma Ganga flowing south-east wards from the Himalayas takes a u-
turn just before Kashi and flows from South to North in a crescent shape. Who-
so-ever dies in this holy city of pilgrimage does not have to take birth again.
Here in Kashi, Lord Shiva Himself arrives and bestows spiritual sermon and the
Mahamantra of ‘Shree Ram’ in the right ear of the dying person. And Mahamaya
the beloved consort of Lord Shiva Herself detaches the eight essences i.e. hate,
apprehension, fear, shame, condemnation, clan, dignity and wealth, of the human
body by which it remains bound and circulates within the world. (vedant
sangyawali.210.)
In praise of Kashi, Sant Goswami Tulsidas mentions in the epic Maryada
Shree Ram-Charitra-Manas –
‘Aakar chaari jeev jag ahaheen. Kashi marat param pad lahaheen.’
Which means, ‘There are four varieties of living beings in the world, i.e.,
plants, invertibrates, oviparous and viviparous. These four varieties of living
beings attain salvation because of the pious importance of Kashi and the divine
blessings of Shree Viswanath (Lord Shiva).
‘Mukti janm mahi jaani, gyan khaani agha haani kar.
Janh basu Shambhu Bhawani, so Kasi sei’a kas na.’
Which means, ‘Where Shiva-Parvati resides, considering that as the
birthplace of liberation, the mine of knowledge and the destroyer of sins, why
not imbibe that Kashi?’
‘Kasi marat mukt karat det Ramnaam.’
Which means, ‘In this land of Kashi Lord Shree Vishwanath bestows the
Name of Rama and liberates the living beings from the clutches of the world?’