Shloka 15

The Greatness of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya) and Avimukta’s Liberative Power

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मघ्नगोघ्नगुरुतल्पगमित्रध्रुक्चन्यासापहरक्लशिदादिनिषिद्धवृत्तिः । संसारभूतदृढपाशविमुक्तदेहो वाराणसीं शिवपुरीं समुपैति मर्त्यः ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

brahmaghnagoghnagurutalpagamitradhrukcanyāsāpaharaklaśidādiniṣiddhavṛttiḥ | saṃsārabhūtadṛḍhapāśavimuktadeho vārāṇasīṃ śivapurīṃ samupaiti martyaḥ || 15 ||

Translation

Selbst ein Sterblicher mit verbotener Lebensführung—ein Brāhmaṇa-Mörder, Kuhmörder, Schänder des Lehrerbettes, Verräter am Freund, Dieb eines heiligen Verwahrguts (nyāsa), Peiniger anderer und Täter ähnlicher Sünden—wird, wenn er Vārāṇasī, die Stadt Śivas, erreicht, von den festen Fesseln des Saṃsāra befreit.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मघ्न-गोघ्न-गुरुतल्पग-मित्रध्रुक्-च-न्यासापहर-क्लशिद-आदि-निषिद्ध-वृत्तिः: a man whose conduct is forbidden (due to) brahma-slaying etc.
• ब्रह्मघ्न-गोघ्न-गुरुतल्पग-मित्रध्रुक्-च-न्यासापहर-क्लशिद-आदि-निषिद्ध-वृत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मघ्न + गोघ्न + गुरुतल्पग + मित्रध्रुक् + च + न्यासापहर + क्लशिद + आदि + निषिद्ध + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य वृत्तिः (आचारः) ब्रह्मघ्नादि-निषिद्धः’

• संसार-भूत-दृढ-पाश-विमुक्त-देहः: one whose body is freed from the firm bonds of worldly existence
• संसार-भूत-दृढ-पाश-विमुक्त-देहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + भूत + दृढ + पाश + विमुक्त + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य देहः संसारभूत-दृढपाशात् विमुक्तः’

• वाराणसीम्: Varanasi
• वाराणसीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शिवपुरीम्: Shiva’s city
• शिवपुरीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवपुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—शिवस्य पुरी

• समुपैति: attains, reaches
• समुपैति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + इ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मर्त्यः: a mortal man
• मर्त्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Tirtha-Mahatmya section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Varanasi (Kashi)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It declares Vārāṇasī (Śivapurī) as a mokṣa-kṣetra: merely reaching Kashi is portrayed as cutting the ‘firm noose’ of saṁsāra, even for those burdened with the gravest sins.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

The verse emphasizes grace connected to Śiva’s sacred abode: approaching Śivapurī with reverence functions as a transformative act, where devotion and surrender at the tirtha become a direct means toward release from bondage.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharmaśāstra-style sin taxonomy and prāyaścitta logic (classification of mahāpātakas like brahmahatyā and goghnatva), applied within a tirtha-mahātmya framework rather than a technical Vedāṅga lesson.