Kashi Panchakam

काशीपञ्चकम्

Kāśīpañcakam

All 5 verses

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Verse 1

मनोनिवृत्तिः परमोपशान्तिः सा तीर्थवर्या मणिकर्णिका च । ज्ञानप्रवाहा विमलादिगङ्गा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥१॥

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मनोनिवृत्तिः परमोपशान्तिः सा तीर्थवर्या मणिकर्णिका च । ज्ञानप्रवाहा विमलादिगङ्गा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥१॥: Withdrawal of the mind and supreme peace: that is the sacred Manikarnika. The flowing stream of knowledge, the pure primal Ganga: that Kashi am I, of the nature of my own awareness.

Manikarnika and Ganga are not distant places but the stillness and clarity of awakened mind. Kashi is the recognition that the pilgrim and the holy city are one in the light of self-knowledge.

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Verse 2

यस्यामिदं कल्पितमिन्द्रजालं चराचरं भाति मनोविलासम् । सच्चित्सुखैका परमात्मरूपा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥२॥

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Editorial Advaita reflection

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यस्यामिदं कल्पितमिन्द्रजालं चराचरं भाति मनोविलासम् । सच्चित्सुखैका परमात्मरूपा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥२॥: In which this magical show of moving and unmoving things shines as the play of mind; the one Paramatman of being-consciousness-bliss: that Kashi am I, of the nature of my own awareness.

The world-appearance projected like Indra's net has no independent existence apart from consciousness. To know Kashi is to know oneself as the single reality in which the entire display arises and subsides.

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Verse 3

कोशेषु पञ्चस्वधिराजमाना बुद्धिर्भवानी प्रतिदेहगेहम् । साक्षी शिवः सर्वगतोऽन्तरात्मा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥३॥

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Editorial Advaita reflection

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कोशेषु पञ्चस्वधिराजमाना बुद्धिर्भवानी प्रतिदेहगेहम् । साक्षी शिवः सर्वगतोऽन्तरात्मा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥३॥: Intelligence ruling in the five sheaths as Bhavani in every bodily home; Shiva the witness, the all-pervading inner Self: that Kashi am I, of the nature of my own awareness.

Bhavani as intelligence and Shiva as witness are the active and passive aspects of one consciousness pervading the five sheaths. The body-temple houses what was never confined by walls.

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Verse 4

काश्यां हि काश्यते काशी काशी सर्वप्रकाशिका । सा काशी विदिता येन तेन प्राप्ता हि काशिका ॥४॥

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Editorial Advaita reflection

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काश्यां हि काश्यते काशी काशी सर्वप्रकाशिका । सा काशी विदिता येन तेन प्राप्ता हि काशिका ॥४॥: In the field of consciousness Kashi shines forth; Kashi is the illuminator of all. He by whom that Kashi is known has indeed attained Kashi.

Kashi shines as the light by which all things are known, not as one object among others. Attaining Kashi is not travel but the direct knowledge that the illuminator and the illumined are one.

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Verse 5

काशीक्षेत्रं शरीरं त्रिभुवनजननी व्यापिनी ज्ञानगङ्गा भक्तिः श्रद्धा गयेयं निजगुरुचरणध्यानयोगः प्रयागः । विश्वेशोऽयं तुरीयः सकलजनमनःसाक्षिभूतोऽन्तरात्मा देहे सर्वं मदीये यदि वसति पुनस्तीर्थमन्यत्किमस्ति ॥५॥

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काशीक्षेत्रं शरीरं त्रिभुवनजननी व्यापिनी ज्ञानगङ्गा भक्तिः श्रद्धा गयेयं निजगुरुचरणध्यानयोगः प्रयागः । विश्वेशोऽयं तुरीयः सकलजनमनःसाक्षिभूतोऽन्तरात्मा देहे सर्वं मदीये यदि वसति पुनस्तीर्थमन्यत्किमस्ति ॥५॥: Kashi is the body; the mother of the three worlds is the all-pervading Ganga of knowledge; devotion and faith are Gaya; meditation on the guru's feet is Prayaga; this Vishvesha is the turiya, the inner Self witnessing all minds. If all this dwells in my body, what other pilgrimage remains?

When the outer pilgrimage is mapped onto the inner field, every sacred place is found within. The turiya Self witnessing all minds is the final tirtha beyond which no journey remains.

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