Shaktipeethas.org

Varanasi (Kasi) is Moksha puri.
It is the most sacred of all Shiva temples.
Lord Shiva loves this more than Kailasa.
The one who entered Kasi is the one who is selected by the God.
There are four Shakti peethas, a Jyotirlinga and many other temples in Varanasi.

Gangataranga kamaniya jatakalapam
Gaurinirantaravibhushitavamabhagam /
Narayanapriyamanangamadapaharam
Varanasipurapatim bhaja vishvanatham //

Kasi has been the land of Sadhus and Devotees from the ancient times. They called it as Swarna puri(The town of spiritual wealth), Ananda kanana(The forest of happiness), Maha smashana(The place of Vairagya) etc..

How to reach Varanasi ?

INDIA>UTTAR PRADESH>VARANASI.
It is present on the bank of the river Ganges.

Nearest Bus station: Varanasi(Benaras).
Nearest Railway station: Varanasi(Benaras).
Nearest Air port: Varanasi(Benaras).

Sthala purana:

Before Srishti(Creation) only Lord Shiva and Shakti are present. Lord Vishnu took birth from them. He wanted to do Tapasya. He prąyed Shiva to show him a place for that. Lord Shiva created Ardha chandrakara(Half moon shaped) Pancha krosi(ten miles) Kasi(Varanasi). Vishnu did Tapasya for a very long time. Due to exhaustion while doing Tapasya, a lot of sweat came out of the body of Vishnu and created a ocean. Vishnu opened his eyes. He wondered. His Karna mani(Jewel of the ear ring) fell down when he moved his head. that created a Teertha named Mani karnika. Kasi was flodded by the ocean created by Vishnu. Lord Shiva lifted Kasi up and kept it on his Trishula. Brahma took birth from the Navel of Vishnu. He created the entire world. Lord Shiva placed Kasi between the rivers Varuna and Asi. Vishnu, Rudra, Avimukta prąyed Shiva to stay in Kasi. Lord Vishwanath accepted it happily. This became the first place of Lord Shiva.

All the seven Moksha puras are believed to be present in Kasi.

1.Ayodhya: Near Someswara linga.
2.Madhura: From Uttararka to Varuna.
3.Dwaraka: Sankhoddhara.
4.Kasi: Near the temple of Lord Vishwanath.
5.Avanti(Ujjaini): From Vriddha kala kshetra to Krittivasa sthana.
6.Maya puri(Hari dwara): Asi sangama sthana.
7.Kanchi: Near Bindu madhava.

There are twelve Suryas, fifty six Vinayakas, eight Bhairavas, nine Durgas, thirteen Narasimhas, sixteen Keshavas and innumerable Shiva lingas in Kasi.

Sri Guru Dattatreya daily takes his bath in Kasi in the early morning.

Sadhana:

• Lord Vishwanath blessed the world that he will give Moksha to each and every living being which ends it's life in Kasi.
• The best of living in Kasi is to visit Lord Vishwanath, Dhundhi Ganapathi, and Danda pani daily.
• The best time to do Meditation in Kasi is early morning.

Lord Kala bhairava cut the fifth head of Brahma to control his ego. Because of that Brahma hatya(Biggest of all the sins) entered in to him. He did a lot of Tapasya. But, it didn’t leave him. He asked Lord Vishnu to tell a remedy. Vishnu told him to go to Kasi. The moment he entered in to Kasi Brahma hatya leaved him and gone in to Patala. He became the Kshetra palaka of Kasi. Each and every one who enters in to Kasi should bow before him and take permission. He takes all the sins of the pilgrim and makes him pure.

The temple of Kala bhairav is present in the Kotwalpuri area of Kasi.


Danda pani:

He is the Police of Kasi who protects the city.
The temple of Danda pani is located near the temple of Annapurna.