Shloka 4
The Description of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya): Avimukta, Kapālamocana, and Śiva’s Purification
आद्यं हि वैष्णवं स्थानं पुराणाः संप्रचक्षते । नावैष्णवे स्थले मुक्तिः सर्वस्य तु कदाचन ॥ ४ ॥
ādyaṃ hi vaiṣṇavaṃ sthānaṃ purāṇāḥ saṃpracakṣate | nāvaiṣṇave sthale muktiḥ sarvasya tu kadācana || 4 ||
आद्यं वै वैष्णवं स्थानं पुराणाः संप्रचक्षते; अवैष्णवे स्थले तु कस्यचित् कदाचन मुक्तिर्न भवति।
Narada (teaching in the Uttara-Bhaga context; dialogue framework with the Sanatkumara tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It elevates Vaiṣṇava kṣetras (Viṣṇu-centered sacred places) as the highest spiritual environments, asserting that such sanctified settings uniquely support the aim of mokṣa.
By prioritizing “Vaiṣṇava” places, the verse implies that devotion to Viṣṇu—expressed through darśana, nāma-saṅkīrtana, pūjā, and pilgrimage—creates the most conducive conditions for liberation.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharma-oriented sacred geography—choosing Viṣṇu-centered tīrthas for pilgrimage and worship.