Kashi, also known as Benares or Varanasi, is the city where
people attain moksha. There is immense spiritual and religious importance of
dying in Kashi. Many Hindus wish to die in Benares. The main belief is that Kashi is the city of Shiva and he will
not allow any devotee to suffer after death. Therefore, whoever dies in Benares
escapes from the cycle of birth and death.
Religious Importance of Dying in Kashi
- Shiva is the ruler of Kashi and Yamraj or other gods do not have any power here.
- Shiva chants the name ‘Ram’ in the ear of the dead.
- With the blessing of Shiva and Ram mantra, all living beings that die in Kashi attain moksha and they do not have another birth. They merge in the Supreme Truth – permanent escape from the cycle of birth and death.
Shiva Chanting the Name Ram in the Dying Person’s Ear
There is a strong belief that when a person is about die in Kashi,
Shiva chants the name ‘Ram’ in his ears. And it is due to the chanting of the
mantra that the person attains moksha.
It is said that there are more than 70 million mantras. But
they are all ineffective when Shiva chants the name of Bhagvan Ram. Ram is the
Param Mantra – the important mantra. The powers of all the mantras are
contained in ‘Ram’ (राम) .
The popular belief is that when a person dies in Kashi, his
right ear extends upwards. It is because Shiva is chanting the name ‘Ram’ (राम) in the
person’s right ear.
Shiva has said it in the Adhyatma Ramayana, in order to escape from the cycle of birth and death, all people irrespective of caste, creed, position, stature, should chant the name of 'Ram' (राम)
Shiva has said it in the Adhyatma Ramayana, in order to escape from the cycle of birth and death, all people irrespective of caste, creed, position, stature, should chant the name of 'Ram' (राम)
Yamraj Has No Power in Kashi
When the journey of the dead begins to the next world, Shiva
chants the mantra and Yamraj, the Hindu God of Death, does not punish the
person. He has no power in Kashi where the Lord is Shiva. Only Shiva can decide
as to what will happen in Kashi.
‘मंडूकमत्स्या:
कृमयोऽपि काश्यां त्यक्तवा शरीरं
शिवमाप्नुवन्ति।
The fate of all living beings in Kashi is decided by Shiva.
Shiva is Bholenath and Vishwanath, he is the ruler of
the world, but at the same time, he is an ocean of compassion. Thus, when a
person dies in Kashi, Shiva grants the person moksha. The person is not
troubled by Yamraj and there are no more births for the person. He attains
moksha and escapes from the cycle of birth and death.