Shloka 27
Viśveśvara-māhātmya and the Nirguṇa–Saguṇa Emergence of Śiva (Śakti–Puruṣa/Prakṛti Discourse)
येषां क्वापि गतिर्नास्ति तेषां वाराणसी पुरी । पंचक्रोशी महापुण्या हत्याकोटिविनाशनी
yeṣāṃ kvāpi gatirnāsti teṣāṃ vārāṇasī purī | paṃcakrośī mahāpuṇyā hatyākoṭivināśanī
Bagi mereka yang tidak menemukan tempat bergantung atau jalan rohani di mana-mana, kota Vārāṇasī sendiri menjadi tempat perlindungan yang sejati. Ziarah suci Pañcakrośī di sana amat besar pahalanya, dan dengan rahmat Śiva ia memusnahkan dosa berbilang krore, bahkan yang seberat perbuatan membunuh.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Kāśī is portrayed as the ultimate refuge for the spiritually destitute; the Pañcakrośī-yātrā around Kāśī functions as a kṣetra-pradakṣiṇā that burns even mahāpātakas by Śiva’s kṛpā.
Significance: Pañcakrośī-parikramā as a purificatory pilgrimage: removal of heavy sins and restoration of spiritual ‘gati’ culminating in Śiva’s protection and liberation.
Role: liberating
FAQs
It proclaims Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as Śiva’s special liberating field: when a seeker has no other gati (refuge/way), Śiva’s kṣetra grants purification and a renewed path toward mokṣa through His grace.
Koṭirudrasaṃhitā emphasizes tīrtha and Jyotirliṅga-centered devotion; Kāśī is approached as a living abode of Saguna Śiva where worship, darśana, and parikramā become direct means of receiving Śiva’s anugraha (saving grace).
Undertake the Pañcakrośī yātrā/parikramā with Śiva-bhakti—regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), simple vrata, and Liṅga-darśana—treating the pilgrimage as repentance, purification, and surrender to Śiva.