Shloka 17
The Greatness of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya) and Avimukta’s Liberative Power
क्षेत्रेऽस्मिन्निवसंति ये सुकृतिनो भक्ता हरौ वा हरे पश्यंतोऽन्वहमादरेण शुचयः संतः समाः शंभुना । ते मर्त्यां भयदुःखपापरहिताः संशुद्धकर्मक्रिया भित्वा संभवबंधजालगहनं विंदंति मोक्षं परम् ॥ १७ ॥
kṣetre'sminnivasaṃti ye sukṛtino bhaktā harau vā hare paśyaṃto'nvahamādareṇa śucayaḥ saṃtaḥ samāḥ śaṃbhunā | te martyāṃ bhayaduḥkhapāparahitāḥ saṃśuddhakarmakriyā bhitvā saṃbhavabaṃdhajālagahanaṃ viṃdaṃti mokṣaṃ param || 17 ||
ಈ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸಿಸುವ ಸುಕೃತಿಗಳು, ಹರಿಭಕ್ತರು—ಶುಚಿಗಳಾಗಿ ಸಂತರಾಗಿ ಪ್ರತಿದಿನ ಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಶ್ರೀಹರಿಯನ್ನು ದರ್ಶಿಸುವವರು (ಶಂಭುವಿಂದಲೂ ಸಮಪವಿತ್ರರೆಂದು ಗೌರವಿಸಲ್ಪಡುವವರು)—ಮರ್ತ್ಯಜೀವನದಲ್ಲೇ ಭಯ, ದುಃಖ, ಪಾಪರಹಿತರಾಗುತ್ತಾರೆ। ಅವರ ಕರ್ಮಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳು ಶುದ್ಧವಾಗುತ್ತವೆ; ಪುನರ್ಜನ್ಮಬಂಧಜಾಲದ ಗಹನವನ್ನು ಭೇದಿಸಿ ಪರಮ ಮೋಕ್ಷವನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ।
Narada (teaching within a Tirtha-Mahatmya discourse in Uttara-Bhaga)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It teaches that living in a holy kṣetra with steady devotion and daily reverent darśana of Hari purifies one’s life, removes fear-sorrow-sin, and ultimately cuts through the bondage of repeated birth, culminating in supreme mokṣa.
Bhakti here is expressed as continuous, reverent daily beholding of Hari while maintaining purity and saintly conduct; this sustained devotion is presented as powerful enough to purify karma and break saṁsāric bondage.
The verse emphasizes karma-kriyā (disciplined ritual action and conduct) becoming saṁśuddha (purified) through devotion and kṣetra-vāsa; it points to correct practice and inner purity rather than technical Vedāṅga details like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa.