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 ||
Kahit ang isang mortal na ang asal ay ipinagbabawal—pumatay ng brāhmaṇa, pumatay ng baka, lumapastangan sa higaan ng guro, nagtaksil sa kaibigan, nagnakaw ng banal na ipinagkatiwala (nyāsa), nagpahirap sa kapwa, at mga kasalanang tulad nito—pagdating sa Vārāṇasī, ang Lungsod ni Śiva, ay napapalaya sa matitibay na gapos ng 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.