Among the sacred places of Lord Shiva, Kaasi town is considered the most sacred holy city. Hindus believe that by visiting this holy city, one would attain moksha — meaning one’s soul (Jeeva) would unite with God and there would not be rebirth for that soul.
Kaasi is made up of two words “Kaa” + “Asi". “Kaa” in Sanskrit means Jigyaasa or Curiosity. “Asi” means Am/Myself. Kaasi means curiosity to find about oneself. It is a place where one would search an answer for “Who am I?”
In looking for that answer, one would search to find the ultimate truth. In the quest to find it, one would realize that God is the ultimate truth!
You may look at Sunrise through the branches in your backyard which may give you happiness. But at times, the same branches might obstruct the view causing sorrow. So the same living being or any object which might give you happiness at a certain point of time might give you sorrow at a different point of time. When you have that realization, you would start looking at happiness and sorrow in the same light.
Parvati Devi asks Lord Shiva why he always stays in Smasaanam/Graveyard. Lord Shiva replies that a person would work hard his entire life to acquire money and other materalistic things like house and vehicles besides building several relationships. After Jeeva/soul leaves the body, none of the relationships or materialistic things come along with soul when it rises above the body leaving it. Soul would be crying in graveyard when ghostly creatures attack the soul. That is when Lord Shiva comes to its rescue and that’s the reason Lord Shiva resides in Smasaanam to give assurance and protection to such souls.
By visiting this holy place, one would get a sense of detachment and starts focusing on how to reach almighty. This realization helps human being to withstand any kind of calamity and remain calm without anxiety in the later part of life. Once you start focusing only on God and ultimate truth, soul within one’s body would attain Moksha!
Om Namah Sivaaya!
Source: Dayton Temple Ashwini Panditji Satsang and Telugu Pravachanam.
