वाराणसी

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

कल्पद्रुमः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वाराणसी, स्त्री, (वरणा च असी च । तयोर्नद्यो- रदूरे भवा । “अदूरभवश्च ।” ४ । २ । ७० । इत्यण् । ङीप् । पृषोदरादित्वात् साधुः । अस्या निरुक्तिर्यथा, -- “वरणासी च नद्यौ द्वे पुण्ये पापहरे उभे । तयोरन्तर्गता या तु सैषा वाराणसी स्मृता ॥”) मोक्षदपुरीविशेषः । वनारस् इति हिन्दी भाषा । तत्पर्य्यायः । वारणसी २ काशी ३ शिवपुरी ४ । इति हेमचन्द्रः ॥ जित्वरी ५ तपःस्थली ६ वरणसी ७ तीर्थराजी ८ काशिका ९ । इति शब्दरत्नावली ॥ तस्या माहात्म्यं यथा, -- ईश्वर उवाच । “परं गुह्यतमं क्षेत्रं मम वाराणसी पुरी । सर्व्वेषामेव भूतानां संसारार्णवतारिणी ॥ तत्र भक्ता महादेवि ! मदीयं व्रतमाश्रिताः । निवसन्ति महात्मानः परं नियममास्थिताः ॥ उत्तमं सर्व्वतीर्थानां स्थानानामुत्तमञ्च यत् । ज्ञानानामुत्तमं ज्ञानं अविमुक्तपुरं मम ॥ स्थानान्तरं पवित्राणि तीर्थान्यायतनानि च । श्मशानसं स्थितान्येव दिव्यभूमिगतानि च ॥ भूर्लोके नैव संलग्नमन्तरीक्षे ममालयम् । अमुक्तास्तन्न पश्यन्ति मुक्ताः पश्यन्ति चेतसा ॥ श्मशानमेतद्विख्यातमविमुक्तमिति श्रुतम् । कालो भूत्वा जगदिदं संहराम्यत्र सुन्दरि ! ॥ देवीदं सर्व्वगुह्यानां स्थानं प्रियतरं मम । यद्भक्तास्तत्र गच्छन्ति मामेव प्रविशन्ति ते ॥ दत्तं जप्तं हुतं चेष्टं तपस्तप्तं कृतञ्च यत् । ध्यानमध्ययनं ज्ञानं सर्व्वं तत्राक्षयं भवेत् ॥ जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु यत् पापं पूर्ब्बसञ्चितम् । अविमुक्तं प्रविष्टस्य तत्सर्व्वं व्रजति क्षयम् ॥ ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्त्रिया वैश्या शूद्रा ये वर्णसङ्कराः । स्त्रियो म्लेच्छाश्च ये चान्ये संकीर्णाः पाप- योनयः ॥ कीटाः पिपीलिकाश्चैव ये चान्ये मृगपक्षिणः । कालेन निधनं प्राप्ताः स्वविमुक्ते वरानने ! ॥ चन्द्रार्द्धमौलयस्त्र्यक्षा महावृषभवाहनाः । शिवे मम पुरे देवि ! जायन्ते तत्र मानवाः ॥ नाविमुक्ते मृतः कश्चिन्नरकं याति किल्विषी । ईश्वरानुगृहीता हि सर्व्वे यान्ति परां गतिम् ॥ मोक्षं सुदुर्ल्लभं मत्वा संसारञ्चातिभीषणम् । अश्मना चरणौ हत्वा वाराणस्यां वसेन्नरः ॥ दुर्ल्लभा तपसा चापि पूतस्य परमेश्वरि ! । यत्र तत्र विपन्नस्य गतिः संसारमोक्षणी ॥ प्रसादाज्जायते ह्येतन्मम शैलेन्द्रनन्दिनि ! । अप्रबुद्धा न पश्यन्ति मम मायाविमोहिताः ॥ अविमुक्तं न पश्यन्ति मूढा ये तमसावृताः । विण्मूत्ररेतसां मध्ये तेषां वासः पुनः पुनः ॥ विनायकांस्ततः पञ्च विश्वनाथं ततो व्रजेत् । ततो मौनं विसृज्याथ मन्त्रमेनमुदीरयेत् ॥ अन्तर्गृहस्य यात्रेयं यथावद्यन्मया कृता । न्यृनातिरिक्तया शम्भुः प्रीयतामनया विभुः ॥ इति मन्त्रं समुच्चार्य्य क्षणं वै मुक्तिमण्डपे । विश्राम्य यायाद्भवनं निष्पापः पुण्यवान्नरः ॥ * ॥ संप्राप्य वासरं विष्णोर्विष्णुतीर्थेषु सर्व्वतः । कार्य्या यात्रा प्रयत्नेन महापुण्यसमृद्धये ॥ नवम्यां पञ्चदश्याञ्च कुलस्तम्भं समर्च्चयेत् । दुःखरुद्रपिशाचत्वे न भवेदस्य पूजनात् ॥ श्रुत्वा पूर्ब्बमिमा यात्राः कर्त्तव्यास्तीर्थवासिभिः । पर्व्वस्वपि विशेषेण कार्य्या यात्राश्च सर्व्वतः ॥ न बन्ध्यं दिवसं कुर्य्यात् विना यात्रां क्वचित् कृती । यात्राद्वयं प्रयत्नेन कर्त्तव्यं प्रतिवासरम् । आदौ स्वर्गतरङ्गिण्यास्ततो विश्वेशितुर्भुवम् ॥ यस्य बन्ध्यं दिनं जातं काश्यां निवसतः सतः । निराशाः पितरस्तस्य तस्मिन्नेत दिनेऽभवन् ॥ स दष्टः कालसर्पेण स दष्टो मृत्युना स्फुटम् । स मुष्टस्तत्र दिवसे विश्वेशो यत्र नेक्षितः ॥ सर्व्वतीर्थेषु सस्नौ स सर्व्वयात्रां व्यधात् स च । मणिकर्ण्यान्तु यः स्नातो यो विश्वेशं निरैक्षत ॥ सत्यं सत्यं पुनः सत्यं सत्यं सत्यं पुनः पुनः । दृश्यो विश्वेश्वरो नित्यं स्नातव्या मणिकर्णिका ॥ व्यास उवाच । सूत स्कान्दमिमं श्रुत्वा काशीमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । नरो न निरयं याति कृत्वाप्यघसहस्रकम् ॥” इति काशीखण्डे १०० अध्यायः ॥

वाचस्पत्यम्

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वाराणसी¦ स्त्री वरणा च असी न सोसात्वेनास्त्यस्या अण्पृषो॰ काशीपुर्य्यां हेम॰। पर्पा॰ वराणस्यप्यत्र। वरणाशब्दे

४८

४९ पृ॰{??}श्यम्।

शब्दसागरः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वाराणसी¦ f. (-सी) The holy city Benares. E. वर best, अनस् water, affs. अण् and ङीष् i. e. the Ganges on which it stands; also वराणसी |

Apte

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वाराणसी [vārāṇasī], The holy city of Benares; कदा वाराणस्याम- मरतटिनीरोधसि वसन् Bh.

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

वाराणसी f. the city Benares (more properly written Banaras ; accord. to Ja1ba1lUp. so called after the names of two rivers , वरणाand असि, or असी; also written वाणारसीSee. , वराणसीor वारणसी) MBh. Ka1v. etc.

वाराणसी f. See. RTL. 434.

Purana index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

--काशी: sacred to Hari; फलकम्:F1: भा. VII. १४. ३१; X. ६६. ४०.फलकम्:/F fit for श्राद्ध offer- ing, and sacred to ललिता; फलकम्:F2: Br. III. १३. १०१; IV. ४४. ९३.फलकम्:/F the capital of दिवोदास devastated by the राक्षस Ks2emaka, resulting in the change of capital to गोमती. The abode of शिव and उमा after their marriage, and hence the name Avimuktam क्षेत्रम्; फलकम्:F3: Ib. III. ६७. २६-62.फलकम्:/F the goddess enshrined here is विशालाक्षी: a place of pilgrimage; फलकम्:F4: M. १३. २६; २२. 7.फलकम्:/F capital of रुद्रशृएण्य of the Yadu race: city where मार्कण्डेय lived. फलकम्:F5: Ib. ४३. ११; १०३. १३.फलकम्:/F Lord became क्षेत्रपाल: the यक्ष Harikes4a per- formed penance here; फलकम्:F6: Ib. १८०. 1-5, १५ and ५४.फलकम्:/F the place of Yogis and Siddhas: death here is release from rebirth; फलकम्:F7: Ib. १८०. ७२-79.फलकम्:/F a siddha क्षेत्र where शिव and His consort live all the three yugas and make Avi- muktam गृहम् in Kaliyuga; फलकम्:F8: वा. ७७. ९३; ९२. २७, ५८-59; ९९. ३१५.फलकम्:/F अवतार् of लान्गलि at, in the २२न्द् dva1para; फलकम्:F9: Ib. २३. १९८.फलकम्:/F cursed by Nikumbha to become deserted for 1,००० years; फलकम्:F१०: ९२. २३-28.फलकम्:/F burnt down by कृष्ण. फलकम्:F११: Vi. V. ३४. 3, ३९-41.फलकम्:/F

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Vārāṇasī : f.: Name of a town, capital of Kāśi, hence referred to also as Kaśipurī (5. 175. 17; 6. 14. 6; 13. 154. 23); Kāśinagarī (5. 174. 11).


A. History: It was founded by Divodāsa, son of Sudeva, at the instance of Indra (divodāsas tu…vārāṇasīṁ mahātejā nirmame śakraśāsanāt) 13. 31. 16.


B. Location: On the northern bank of Gaṅgā, behind a protective wall, and to the south of the river Gomatī (gaṅgāyā uttare kūle vaprānte…/gomatyā dakṣiṇe caiva) 13. 31. 18 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 30. 18: vaprānte taṭasamīpe).


C. Capital town: Place of residence of the king of Kāśi (kāśipatī rājā vārāṇasyām) 5. 49. 38.


D. (1) Description: Crowded with all the four classes (viprakṣatriyasaṁbādhāṁ vaiśyaśūdrasamākulām) 13. 31. 17; having heaps of many kinds of goods (naikadravyoccayavatī) 13. 31. 17; having markets of prosperous shops (samṛddhavipaṇāpaṇā) 13. 31. 17.

(2) Called purī 1. 96. 4; 12. 253. 45; 13. 31. 22; 14. 6. 27, 28, 29; (kāśi) purī 5. 175. 17; 6. 14. 6; 13. 154. 23; nagarī 5. 47. 40; 14. 6. 22; (kāśi) nagarī 5. 174. 11.


E. Holy place: One who worships Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva) at Vārāṇasī gets the fruits of a rājasūya sacrifice 3. 82. 69.


F. Epic events:

(1) Hearing that the three Kāśi princesses were holding a svayaṁvara, Bhīṣma, in a single chariot, went to the town Vārāṇasī (rathenaikena …/jagāma…purīṁ vārāṇasīṁ prati) 1. 96. 3-4; all the Kṣatriyas had then assembled at Kāśipurī for the svayaṁvara 5. 175. 17; Bhīṣma's victory over the Kṣatriyas, single-handed, at Kāśīpurī referred to by Saṁjaya while reporting Bhīṣma's fall in the war (jigāyaikarathenaiva kāśipuryāṁ mahārathaḥ) 6. 14. 6; this incident that occurred in Vārāṇasī is referred to by Yudhiṣṭhira while lamenting over the death of Bhīṣma 12. 27. 9; also by Gaṅgā (sametaṁ pārthivaṁ kṣatraṁ kāśipuryāṁ svayaṁvare/vijityaikarathenājau kanyās tā yo jahāra ha//) 13. 154. 23;

(2) Ambā told the ascetics that it was impossible for her to go back to her father's house in Kāśinagarī since she would be disrespected by her relatives (na śakyaṁ kāśinagarīṁ punar gantum pitur gṛhān) 5. 174. 11;

(3) Dhṛṣṭadyumna in a battle at Vārāṇasī felled down with a bhalla arrow the son of Kāśirāja, who was greedy for women, from his chariot (this event is not reported in the epic) (yaḥ (i. e. Dhṛṣṭadyumna) putraṁ kāśirājasya vārāṇasyāṁ mahāratham/samare strīṣu gṛdhyantaṁ bhallenāpaharad rathāt) 7. 9. 56;

(4) Kṛṣṇa had burnt the town Vārāṇasī which remained without a protector for a number of years (this incident is not reported in the epic (anena (i. e. by Kṛṣṇa) dagdhā varṣapūgān vināthā vārāṇasī nagarī saṁbabhūva) 5. 47. 70.


G. Past events:

(1) The Hehayas attacked king Divodāsa who lived in Vārāṇasī, the city founded by him; Divodāsa came out of the town to fight with them 13. 31. 19-20; the battle lasted for a thousand days (dinānāṁ daśatīr daśa) (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 30. 21: daśatiśabdo 'pi daśagunitān daśa brūte); with his army killed and his treasury empty, Divodāsa fled from the town (hatayodhas tato rājan kṣīṇakośaś ca bhūmipaḥ/divodāsaḥ purīm hitvā palāyanaparo 'bhavat//) 13. 31. 21-22;

(2) A merchant of great fame, Tulādhāra by name, lived in Vārāṇasī; the Piśācas told Jājali that even Tulādhāra did not boast of himself as did Jājali 12. 253. 8; Jājali then decided to meet Tulādhāra, went to him at Vārāṇasī, and spoke to him (vārāṇasyāṁ tulādhāraṁ samāsādyābravīd vacaḥ) 12. 253. 11; when Jājali boasted again (that he knew dharma: dharmaḥ prāpto mayeti vai 12. 253. 41), an invisible voice from the sky told him that even Tulādhāra of Vārāṇasī did not deserve to speak in terms in which Jājali did (vārāṇasyāṁ …tulādhāraḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ/so 'py evaṁ nārhate vaktum yathā tvaṁ bhāṣase dvija//) 12. 253. 42-43; when Jājali went to Vārāṇasī he saw Tulādhāra selling goods (kālena mahatāgacchat sa tu vārāṇasīṁ purīm) 12. 253. 45;

(3) Nārada told king Marutta that Saṁvarta, son of Aṅgiras and younger brother of Bṛhaspati, often visited Vārāṇasī (vārāṇasīṁ tu nagarīm abhīkṣṇam upasevate); Marutta then went to Vārāṇasī and, as suggested by Nārada (14. 6. 23), placed a corpse at the gate of the town (puryā dvāre); when Saṁvarta came to the gate (purīdvāram āviśat) he saw the corpse and turned back (that is how Marutta recognized Saṁvarta) 14. 6. 22, 27-29;

(4) Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana once approached Maitreya in the family of an unchaste woman at Vārāṇasī; a conversation between the two on the virtues of gift (dāna), austerities (tapas) and learning (śruta, vidyā) took place there vārāṇasyām upātiṣṭhan maitreyaṁ svairiṇīkule) 13. 121. 3, 1-2 (Nī., however, on Bom. Ed. 13. 120. 3: svam īrayati dharmāya prerayati svairiṇī muniśreṇī tasyāḥ kule gṛhe);

(5) At Vārāṇasī the sage Jaigīṣavya once got with very little effort eight qualities of superhuman power from Śiva (mamāṣṭaguṇam aiśvaryaṁ dattaṁ bhagavatā purā/yatnenālpena…vārāṇasyām) 13. 18. 24.


H. Simile: Vārāṇasī, founded by Divodāsa, was like Amarāvatī of Indra (śakrasyevāmarāvatīm) 13. 31. 18.


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Mahabharata Cultural Index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Vārāṇasī : f.: Name of a town, capital of Kāśi, hence referred to also as Kaśipurī (5. 175. 17; 6. 14. 6; 13. 154. 23); Kāśinagarī (5. 174. 11).


A. History: It was founded by Divodāsa, son of Sudeva, at the instance of Indra (divodāsas tu…vārāṇasīṁ mahātejā nirmame śakraśāsanāt) 13. 31. 16.


B. Location: On the northern bank of Gaṅgā, behind a protective wall, and to the south of the river Gomatī (gaṅgāyā uttare kūle vaprānte…/gomatyā dakṣiṇe caiva) 13. 31. 18 (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 30. 18: vaprānte taṭasamīpe).


C. Capital town: Place of residence of the king of Kāśi (kāśipatī rājā vārāṇasyām) 5. 49. 38.


D. (1) Description: Crowded with all the four classes (viprakṣatriyasaṁbādhāṁ vaiśyaśūdrasamākulām) 13. 31. 17; having heaps of many kinds of goods (naikadravyoccayavatī) 13. 31. 17; having markets of prosperous shops (samṛddhavipaṇāpaṇā) 13. 31. 17.

(2) Called purī 1. 96. 4; 12. 253. 45; 13. 31. 22; 14. 6. 27, 28, 29; (kāśi) purī 5. 175. 17; 6. 14. 6; 13. 154. 23; nagarī 5. 47. 40; 14. 6. 22; (kāśi) nagarī 5. 174. 11.


E. Holy place: One who worships Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva) at Vārāṇasī gets the fruits of a rājasūya sacrifice 3. 82. 69.


F. Epic events:

(1) Hearing that the three Kāśi princesses were holding a svayaṁvara, Bhīṣma, in a single chariot, went to the town Vārāṇasī (rathenaikena …/jagāma…purīṁ vārāṇasīṁ prati) 1. 96. 3-4; all the Kṣatriyas had then assembled at Kāśipurī for the svayaṁvara 5. 175. 17; Bhīṣma's victory over the Kṣatriyas, single-handed, at Kāśīpurī referred to by Saṁjaya while reporting Bhīṣma's fall in the war (jigāyaikarathenaiva kāśipuryāṁ mahārathaḥ) 6. 14. 6; this incident that occurred in Vārāṇasī is referred to by Yudhiṣṭhira while lamenting over the death of Bhīṣma 12. 27. 9; also by Gaṅgā (sametaṁ pārthivaṁ kṣatraṁ kāśipuryāṁ svayaṁvare/vijityaikarathenājau kanyās tā yo jahāra ha//) 13. 154. 23;

(2) Ambā told the ascetics that it was impossible for her to go back to her father's house in Kāśinagarī since she would be disrespected by her relatives (na śakyaṁ kāśinagarīṁ punar gantum pitur gṛhān) 5. 174. 11;

(3) Dhṛṣṭadyumna in a battle at Vārāṇasī felled down with a bhalla arrow the son of Kāśirāja, who was greedy for women, from his chariot (this event is not reported in the epic) (yaḥ (i. e. Dhṛṣṭadyumna) putraṁ kāśirājasya vārāṇasyāṁ mahāratham/samare strīṣu gṛdhyantaṁ bhallenāpaharad rathāt) 7. 9. 56;

(4) Kṛṣṇa had burnt the town Vārāṇasī which remained without a protector for a number of years (this incident is not reported in the epic (anena (i. e. by Kṛṣṇa) dagdhā varṣapūgān vināthā vārāṇasī nagarī saṁbabhūva) 5. 47. 70.


G. Past events:

(1) The Hehayas attacked king Divodāsa who lived in Vārāṇasī, the city founded by him; Divodāsa came out of the town to fight with them 13. 31. 19-20; the battle lasted for a thousand days (dinānāṁ daśatīr daśa) (Nī. on Bom. Ed. 13. 30. 21: daśatiśabdo 'pi daśagunitān daśa brūte); with his army killed and his treasury empty, Divodāsa fled from the town (hatayodhas tato rājan kṣīṇakośaś ca bhūmipaḥ/divodāsaḥ purīm hitvā palāyanaparo 'bhavat//) 13. 31. 21-22;

(2) A merchant of great fame, Tulādhāra by name, lived in Vārāṇasī; the Piśācas told Jājali that even Tulādhāra did not boast of himself as did Jājali 12. 253. 8; Jājali then decided to meet Tulādhāra, went to him at Vārāṇasī, and spoke to him (vārāṇasyāṁ tulādhāraṁ samāsādyābravīd vacaḥ) 12. 253. 11; when Jājali boasted again (that he knew dharma: dharmaḥ prāpto mayeti vai 12. 253. 41), an invisible voice from the sky told him that even Tulādhāra of Vārāṇasī did not deserve to speak in terms in which Jājali did (vārāṇasyāṁ …tulādhāraḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ/so 'py evaṁ nārhate vaktum yathā tvaṁ bhāṣase dvija//) 12. 253. 42-43; when Jājali went to Vārāṇasī he saw Tulādhāra selling goods (kālena mahatāgacchat sa tu vārāṇasīṁ purīm) 12. 253. 45;

(3) Nārada told king Marutta that Saṁvarta, son of Aṅgiras and younger brother of Bṛhaspati, often visited Vārāṇasī (vārāṇasīṁ tu nagarīm abhīkṣṇam upasevate); Marutta then went to Vārāṇasī and, as suggested by Nārada (14. 6. 23), placed a corpse at the gate of the town (puryā dvāre); when Saṁvarta came to the gate (purīdvāram āviśat) he saw the corpse and turned back (that is how Marutta recognized Saṁvarta) 14. 6. 22, 27-29;

(4) Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana once approached Maitreya in the family of an unchaste woman at Vārāṇasī; a conversation between the two on the virtues of gift (dāna), austerities (tapas) and learning (śruta, vidyā) took place there vārāṇasyām upātiṣṭhan maitreyaṁ svairiṇīkule) 13. 121. 3, 1-2 (Nī., however, on Bom. Ed. 13. 120. 3: svam īrayati dharmāya prerayati svairiṇī muniśreṇī tasyāḥ kule gṛhe);

(5) At Vārāṇasī the sage Jaigīṣavya once got with very little effort eight qualities of superhuman power from Śiva (mamāṣṭaguṇam aiśvaryaṁ dattaṁ bhagavatā purā/yatnenālpena…vārāṇasyām) 13. 18. 24.


H. Simile: Vārāṇasī, founded by Divodāsa, was like Amarāvatī of Indra (śakrasyevāmarāvatīm) 13. 31. 18.


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