Background kAsi panchakam explains what is kAsi kAsi is a 'tirtha'. 'tirtha' is a sacred place. When does any place become sacred place..? In short kAsi panchakam says, a place becomes sacred when there is the detached observer (Shiva) and a flow of knowledge (Ganga) in that place. Such a tirtha with Ganga and Shiva is called kAsi. Over a period this has descended into the physical forms of Ganga and Shiva. kAsi panchakam steps in and explains what indeed is that Shiva and Ganga. The entire Universe is kAsi, as there is detached observer and flow of knowledge in it. Our body is kAsi, as there is detached observer and flow of knowledge in it. From very ancient times, the city of varanasi has been a center of knowledge. Scholars from across the world came to kAsi and hence there was flow of knowledge in the city. Shiva, the detached observer, resided in kAsi in various forms. Scholars in kAsi were also working on the knowledge of realizing that self, the detached obser...