Shloka 69
The Greatness of Kāśī (Kāśī-māhātmya) and Avimukta’s Liberative Power
यत्र नित्यं वरारोहे सान्निध्यं धूर्जटेः स्मृतम् । दशानामश्वमेधानां यज्ञानां यत्फलं स्मृतम् ॥ ६९ ॥
yatra nityaṃ varārohe sānnidhyaṃ dhūrjaṭeḥ smṛtam | daśānāmaśvamedhānāṃ yajñānāṃ yatphalaṃ smṛtam || 69 ||
اے خوش اندام، جہاں دھورجٹی (شیو) کی دائمی حضوری یاد کی جاتی ہے، وہاں کا ثواب دس اشومیدھ یگیوں کے پھل کے برابر کہا گیا ہے۔
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It elevates a specific sacred site by declaring Śiva’s perpetual presence there, and equates visiting/being in that sanctified proximity with the immense merit traditionally attributed to ten Aśvamedha yajñas.
By emphasizing “sānnidhya” (living presence) of the deity, the verse frames spiritual attainment through direct devotional connection to Śiva at a tirtha, not only through elaborate sacrificial performance.
Ritual valuation is implied: it references the Aśvamedha as a benchmark of śrauta-yajña merit, showing how Purāṇic tirtha-mahātmya literature maps pilgrimage merit onto classical Vedic ritual categories.