Shloka 15
The Greatness of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya) and Avimukta’s Liberative Power
ब्रह्मघ्नगोघ्नगुरुतल्पगमित्रध्रुक्चन्यासापहरक्लशिदादिनिषिद्धवृत्तिः । संसारभूतदृढपाशविमुक्तदेहो वाराणसीं शिवपुरीं समुपैति मर्त्यः ॥ १५ ॥
brahmaghnagoghnagurutalpagamitradhrukcanyāsāpaharaklaśidādiniṣiddhavṛttiḥ | saṃsārabhūtadṛḍhapāśavimuktadeho vārāṇasīṃ śivapurīṃ samupaiti martyaḥ || 15 ||
Even a mortal of forbidden conduct—one who has slain a brāhmaṇa, killed a cow, violated the teacher’s bed, betrayed a friend, stolen a sacred deposit (nyāsa), afflicted others, and committed similar sins—upon reaching Vārāṇasī, the City of Śiva, is freed from the firm bonds of saṃsāra.
Suta (narrating the Tirtha-Mahatmya section)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
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.
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.
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.