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 observer. Hence it was called kAsi. In fact any place of knowledge, where the 'self' is realized or known could be called kAsi.
In some community marriages, there is a procedure wherein the groom goes to kAsi, the day before marriage. The girl's father encounters such a boy going to kAsi and gives the girl to that boy. People traditionally interpret it as boy trying to becoming a sanyasin before marriage and girl's father requesting him not to do so.
This understanding is not correct. In those days, going to kAsi is for higher studies and learning. Not every one can do that. Only people with aspirations for higher learning and acquiring the knowledge of self-realization will go to kAsi. Learning in kAsi used to open up a lot of new opportunities for students. In modern parlance it is like going to US for higher studies.
Hence bride's father identifies boys capable of going to kAsi and gets her daughter married to such a boy. The kAsi yAtra procedure symbolizes this and not a boy becoming sanyasin.
Shiva is called one with ear-ring or maNi-karNikA. In tamil, sambandar calls him ('thodudaiya seviyan').
Summary of kAsi panchakam
Shiva is the bliss of the detached 'manas'. This bliss becomes the best of 'tIrtha' or sacred place when there is huge flow of wisdom like Ganga. kAsi is this place where knowledge of self-realization exists. Wherever there is this bliss and flow of knowledge exists, it is kAsi.
kAsi is the place where indra-jAlam or mAyA, the evolutionary processes propel moving and non-moving and the paramatma manifests as the eternal thought of happiness in them.
kAsi is the body whose five kosas are ruled by bhavani, the knowledge along with shiva, the sAksi and where self-realization happens.
kAsi is the sum of observer and the observed. It is the light in shining and the shining itself. It is the realizer and the realized.
Our body is the 'land' of kAsi. Our flow of knowledge is the flow of ganges. Our dedication and devotion are the property/wealth. Meditation of the inner-guru is the sacrifice we do. That Universal ruler, arises as the manas-sAksi or conscience in every bhutA and resides in every body. Why do we need another tIrtha at all..?
When we treat our body as kAsi with conscience and knowledge, we don't need to look at any external place as kAsi.
kAsi panchakam
Sloka 1
mano nivRittiH parama upashaantiH
saa tiirtha varyaa maNikarNikaa cha .
gyaana pravaahaa vimalaadi gaNgaa
saa kaashika aham nija bodha rupaa
பற்றற்ற மனதின் அதி ஆழ்ந் தமைதி
நற்றலமாகிடும் தோடுடை யச்செவி
மிக தூய ஞான கங்கையுமே ஏகி
அகமுணர் அவ்வடிவம் ஆகுமே காசி
manas (mano) detached (nivrtti) close to that absolute peace (parama upa shanti) with/in the best of the shores (tirtha varyaa) and the ear with rings (manikarnika ca) the stream of knowledge (jnana pravaaha) pure (vimala) first/original/beginning ganga (aadi ganga) with these kasi (sa kasika) the form of innate knowledge/understanding of the self (aham nija bodha rupa)
The tranquility of detached manas, that best of the tIrtha, the one with ear-ring (Lord Shiva) and pure flow of wisdom, the ganga pravAha is kAsi, the form in which is self is realized/known/understood.
kAsi or any tIrtha is a place where the 'self' is realized or known. How does this realization happen..? If there is a detached observer like Shiva and flow of knowledge/wisdom like Ganga, then that becomes the place where 'sef' is realized or 'known'.
Shiva is called one with ear-ring or maNi-karNikA. Shiva is the bliss of the detached 'manas'. This bliss becomes the best of 'tIrtha' or place when there is huge flow of wisdom like Ganga. kAsi is this place where knowledge of self-realization exists. Wherever there is this bliss and flow of knowledge exists, it is kAsi.
Sloka 2
yasyaam idam kalpitam indraa jaalaM
charaacharaM bhaati mano vilaasam
satcit sukhaikaa paramaatmaruupaa
saa kaashikaaham nija bodha rupaa
எதில் இங்கு இந்திர ஜாலம் உருவாகி
அசையும் அசையா உள் ஒளியாகி
மெய் சித்த இன்பம் ஆன்ம வடிவாகி
அகமுணர் அவ்வடிவம் ஆகுமே காசி
The place where indra-jAlam or mAyA (evolutionary processes) creates the internal light of movable and immovable, that paramatma manifests as the eternal happiness giving thought in those forms, that place of realization of self is kAsi
kAsi is the place where mAyA, the evolutionary processes propel moving and non-moving and the paramatma manifests as the eternal thought of happiness in them.
Sloka 3
kosheshhu paNcha svadhiraajamaanaa
buddhir bhavaanii prati deha geham
saakshii shivaH sarva gato.antar aatmaa
saa kaashikaaham nija bodha rupaa
அடுக்குகள் ஐந்தை செய்யும் அரசாட்சி
தேகத்தில் வாழும் அறிவே பவானி
அனைவருள் விரையும் சிவனே சாட்சி
அகமுணர் அவ்வடிவம் ஆகுமே காசி
The five kosas/sheaths (pancha-prAnA for human beings) being ruled by knowledge, the bhavani, residing in every body along with shiva who is the sAksi or observer inside the body, that place of self-realization is kAsi.
kAsi is the body whose five kosas (here pacha-prAnas) are ruled by bhavani, the knowledge along with shiva, the sAksi and where self-realization happens.
Sloka 4
kaashyaam hi kaashyate kaashii
kaashii sarva prakaashikaa .
saa kaashii viditaa yena
tena praaptaa hi kaashikaa
ஒளிர்வதில் ஒளிர்க்கும் காசி
ஒளிரும் எல்லாமும் காசி
எதனால் அறிவமோ காசி
அதனால் பெறுவமே காசி
kAsi is the light of the shining. kAsi is the shining. By which we realize, the realizer is kAsi. That which is realized/gained is kAsi.
kAsi is the sum of observer and the observed. It is the light in shining and the shining itself. It is the realizer and the realized.
Sloka 5
kaashii kshetram shariirm tribhuvana-jananii vyaapinii gyaanagaN^gaa .
bhaktiH shraddhaa gayeyam nijaguru charaNa dhyaana yogaH prayaagaH
vishveshoyam turiiyaH sakala jana manaH saakshi bhuuto.antaraatmaa
dehe sarvam madiiya yadi vasati punas tiirtham anyat kim asti
உடல் காசி திடலாம் மூவுலகுயிர்ப்பிக்கும் நிறை கங்கையாம் ஞானம்
பற்றும் பக்தியே செல்வம் உள்ளார்ந்த குரு பாத தியான யோகமாம் யக்ஞம்
ஆதியாய் அகிலம் ஆளும் அனைத்துயிர் மனதில் சாட்சியாய் (உள்)உறையும்
உடல்கள் அனைத்திலும் நிறைந்திருக்கும் எனின் எதற்கு வேறோர் தலம்
Body is the 'place of kasi'. Flow of wisdom manifests like ganga, creates the three-worlds. Devotion and dedication are the property/wealth. Sacrifice is the the dhyana yoga of the inner 'guru',. The one that rules the Universes manifests as 'sAki' in every bhutA, resides in every body. What other tIrtham is needed..?
Our body is the 'land' of kAsi. Our flow of knowledge is the flow of ganges. Our dedication and devotion are the property/wealth. Meditation of the inner-guru is the sacrifice we do. That Universal ruler, arises as the manas-sAksi or conscience in every bhutA and resides in every body. Why do we need another tIrtha at all..?
Comments
Post a Comment