Sthala Mahātmyam
Kashi Vishwanath at Varanasi (Kashi), on the western bank of the Ganga, is among the most sacred of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Shiva is worshipped here as Vishwanath or Vishweshwar, Lord of the Universe. The Jyotirlinga legend tells of Brahma and Vishnu disputing their supremacy, whereupon Shiva appeared as an endless column of light to humble their pride. Kashi is revered as Shiva's own eternal abode, the city he never forsakes; Hindus believe that those who die here attain moksha, for Shiva himself whispers the liberating Taraka mantra into the dying one's ear. The nearby Manikarnika Ghat is the great cremation ground held to grant instant release. The temple's spire and dome were gilded with gold given by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and the shrine was rebuilt by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar in 1780. Maha Shivaratri is the foremost festival, while Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima, when the ghats blaze with countless lamps, and Rangbhari Ekadashi are also splendidly observed.
