Shloka 67
The Description of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya): Avimukta, Kapālamocana, and Śiva’s Purification
नापि दानं द्विजश्रेष्ठ मुक्त्वैकं देहपातनम् । मृत्युं प्रात्युं नरः कामं कृतकृत्यो भवेद्ध्रुवन् ॥ ६७ ॥
nāpi dānaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha muktvaikaṃ dehapātanam | mṛtyuṃ prātyuṃ naraḥ kāmaṃ kṛtakṛtyo bhaveddhruvan || 67 ||
Wahai brāhmaṇa yang utama, tiada sedekah (dāna) yang setara dengan satu ini sahaja—meletakkan jasad (dalam cara yang suci ini). Sesiapa yang mengingini kematian demikian pasti menjadi orang yang telah menunaikan tujuan hidupnya.
Narada (teaching a dvija in the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It elevates dehapātana—consciously meeting death in a sanctified, dharmic manner (typically connected with a tirtha and right intention)—as a supreme act whose fruit surpasses ordinary charity, marking life as spiritually “completed” (kṛtakṛtya).
While Bhakti is not named explicitly here, the idea aligns with surrender at life’s end: offering oneself (the body and final moment) to the sacred—an ultimate form of dedication that complements Vishnu-bhakti-oriented tirtha practice in the Uttara-Bhaga.
No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught directly; the practical takeaway is dharma-oriented ritual sensibility—prioritizing intention, sacred context (tirtha), and disciplined conduct at antya-kāla over mere material dāna.