CHINMAYA SHIVAM

Talk and meditation on Kashika Stotram Verse 3

koṣeṣu pañcasv adhirājamānā
buddhir bhavānī prati deha-geham |
sākṣī śivaḥ sarvagato’ntarātmā
sā kāśikāhaṃ nija-bodha-rūpā || 3 ||

Whose sovereignty extends over the five sheaths (kośas), where the intellect (buddhi) is Bhavānī, residing in every bodily abode, and where the all-pervading Inner Self — the Witness — is Śiva. I am that Kāśikā, of the form of Pure Consciousness, the Self.

Talk and meditation on Kashika Stotram Verse 2

yasyām idaṃ kalpitam indra-jālaṃ
carācaraṃ bhāti mano-vilāsam |
sat-cit-sukhaikā paramātma-rūpā
sā kāśikāhaṃ nija-bodha-rūpā || 2 ||

That Paramātma — the one Reality of Existence, Knowledge, and Bliss — upon which is superimposed this magic illusion (of creation), and in which the universe of moving and unmoving objects appears as the playful creation of the mind — I
am that Kāśikā, of the form of Pure Consciousness, the Self.

Talk and meditation on Kashika Stotram Verse 1 

manojña-vṛttiḥ paramopaśāntiḥ
sā tīrthavaryā maṇikarṇikā ca |
jñāna-pravāhā vimalādi-gaṅgā
sā kāśikāhaṃ nija-bodha-rūpā || 1 ||


This opening verse distills the essence of inner pilgrimage to Kashi, from an Advaitic viewpoint:
• मनोज्ञवृत्तिः परमोपशान्तिः — When the mind’s activities (vṛtti) become serene, attractive (manojña), and ultimately stilled in supreme peace (parama-upaśānti), one experiences the true sanctity.
• सा तीर्थवर्या मणिकर्णिका च — That inner stillness is the greatest of holy places (tīrtha-varyā), the Manikarnika within. In Vārāṇasī, Manikarnika is the cremation ghat where liberation is promised. In the yogic sense, it is the place within where the ego and ignorance are cremated.
• ज्ञानप्रवाहा विमलादिगङ्गा — The ever-flowing current of pure knowledge (jñāna-pravāha) is the spotless, Primeval Gaṅgā (vimalādi-gaṅgā). This is not the physical river, but the unbroken awareness of the Self.
• सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा — That Kāśikā, the city of inner light, is none other than I myself, whose true nature is Consciousness (nija-bodha-rūpā).

Adi Śaṅkara thus identifies the real Kāśī as a state of Consciousness — the luminous awareness untouched by body, mind, or world.

Talk and Meditation on Kashi Vishwanatha Ashtakam Verse 8

Rāgādi-doṣa-rahitaṁ svajanānurāgam
vairāgya-śānti-nilayaṁ Girijā-sahāyam ।
Mādhurya-dhairya-subhagaṁ garalābhirāmaṁ
Vārāṇasī-pura-patiṁ bhaja Viśvanātham ॥ 8 ॥
Meaning
Worship Śrī Viśvanātha, the Lord of Vārāṇasī,
• who is free from faults like attachment and hatred,
• who is full of love for His devotees,
• the abode of renunciation and peace,
• the companion of Girijā (Pārvatī),
• who is endowed with sweetness and patience,
• and who looks beautiful with His throat marked by the poison.

vāraṇasī-pura-pateḥ stavanaṃ śivasya
vyākhyātaṁ aṣṭakam idaṁ paṭhate manuṣyaḥ
vidyāṁ śriyāṁ vipulasaukhyam anantakīrtiṁ
saṁprāpya dehavilaye labhate ca mokṣam

Meaning
• Whoever recites the expounded Aṣṭakam in praise of Śiva, the Lord of Vārāṇasī
(Kāśī),
• Attains vidyā (knowledge), śrī (wealth/prosperity), vipula-saukhyam (abundant
happiness), and ananta-kīrti(everlasting fame).
• Upon the dissolution of the body, such a devotee also attains mokṣa (liberation)

Talk and Meditation on Kashi Vishwanatha Ashtakam Verse 7

A" śā ṁ vihāya parihṛtya parasya nindā ṁ
pā pe ratiṁ ca sunivā rya manaḥ samā dhau ।
A" dāya hṛt-kamala-madhya-gataṁ pareśaṁ
Vā rā ṇ ası̄-pura-patiṁ bhaja Viśvanā tham ॥ 7 ॥

Meaning
Worship Śrī Viśvanātha, the Lord of Vārāṇasī:
• having renounced all desires,
• having given up reviling others,
• having restrained the mind from delighting in sin,
• fixing the mind steadily in samādhi,
• meditating on the Supreme Lord seated in the lotus of one’s own heart.

Please support this podcast by pressing the follow button and support Chinmaya Mission Mumbai projects taken up by Swami Swatmananda, through generous donations. Contribution by Indians in INR can be made online using this link: https://bit.ly/gdswatman

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Talk and Meditation on Kashi Vishwanatha Ashtakam Verse 6

Tejomayaṁ saguṇa-nirguṇamadvitīyam
ānanda-kandam aparājitamaprameyam ।
Nāgātmakaṁ sakala-niṣkalam ātma-rūpaṁ
Vārāṇasī-pura-patiṁ bhaja Viśvanātham ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning
Worship Śrī Viśvanātha, the Lord of Vārāṇasī,
• who is effulgence itself,
• both with attributes (saguṇa) and without attributes (nirguṇa),
• the One without a second (advitīya),
• the root-source of bliss (ānanda-kanda),
• the unconquerable one (aparājita),
• the immeasurable one (aprameya),
• serpent-adorned (nāgātmaka),
• both with form (sakala) and formless (niṣkala),
• and who is the very Self (ātma-rūpa).

Please support this podcast by pressing the follow button and support Chinmaya Mission Mumbai projects taken up by Swami Swatmananda, through generous donations. Contribution by Indians in INR can be made online using this link: https://bit.ly/gdswatman

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Talk and Meditation on Kashi Vishwanatha Ashtakam Verse 5

Pañcānanaṁ durita-matta-mataṅgajānām
nāgāntakaṁ danuja-puṅgava-pannagānām ।
dāvānalaṁ maraṇa-śoka-jarāṭavīnām
Vārāṇasī-pura-patiṁ bhaja Viśvanātham ॥ 5 ॥

Meaning
Worship Śrī Viśvanātha, the Lord of Vārāṇasī,
• the Five-faced One,
• the lion that destroys the mad elephant of sin,
• the Garuḍa that overpowers the serpents of the powerful demons,
• and the forest-fire that reduces to ashes the jungle of birth, death and old age.


Please support this podcast by pressing the follow button and support Chinmaya Mission Mumbai projects taken up by Swami Swatmananda, through generous donations. Contribution by Indians in INR can be made online using this link: https://bit.ly/gdswatman

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Talk and Meditation on Kashi Vishwanatha Ashtakam Verse 4

Śītāṁśu-śobhita-kirīṭa-virājamānaṁ
bhālekṣaṇānala-viśoṣita-pañca-bāṇam ।
Nāgādhipāracita-bhāsura-karṇa-pūraṁ
Vārāṇasī-pura-patiṁ bhaja Viśvanātham ॥ 4 ॥

Meaning
Worship Śrī Viśvanātha, the Lord of Vārāṇasī,
• adorned with a crown beautified by the cool moon,
• who burnt the five-arrowed Kāma (Cupid) to ashes with the fire from His third eye,
• and whose ears shine with ear-ornaments fashioned by Śeṣa, the king of serpents.

Please support this podcast by pressing the follow button and support Chinmaya Mission Mumbai projects taken up by Swami Swatmananda, through generous donations. Contribution by Indians in INR can be made online using this link: https://bit.ly/gdswatman

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Talk and Meditation on Kashi Vishwanatha Ashtakam Verse 3

Bhūtādhipaṁ bhujaga-bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣitāṅgaṁ
vyāghrājināmbara-dharaṁ jaṭilaṁ trinetram ।
pāśāṅkuśābhaya-vara-prada-śūla-pāṇiṁ
Vārāṇasī-pura-patiṁ bhaja Viśvanātham ॥ 3 ॥

Meaning
Worship Śrī Viśvanātha, the Lord of Vārāṇasī,
• the Lord of the bhūtas (beings, elements, spirits),
• whose body is adorned with serpents as ornaments,
• who wears a tiger-skin,
• who has matted locks,
• who is three-eyed,
• who holds the noose and the goad,
• who grants fearlessness and boons with two hands,
• and who wields the trident.

Please support this podcast by pressing the follow button and support Chinmaya Mission Mumbai projects taken up by Swami Swatmananda, through generous donations. Contribution by Indians in INR can be made online using this link: https://bit.ly/gdswatman

Donors outside India who would like to offer any Gurudakshina/donation can send an email to [email protected] with a cc to [email protected] to get further details.

These podcasts @ChinmayaShivam are also available on Spotify, Apple iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Podomatic, Amazon music and Google Podcast

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Talk and Meditation on Kashi Vishwanatha Ashtakam Verse 2

Please support this podcast by pressing the follow button and support Chinmaya Mission Mumbai projects taken up by Swami Swatmananda, through generous donations. Contribution by Indians in INR can be made online using this link: https://bit.ly/gdswatman

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