Kashi Panchakam

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• verse 1

  मनो निवृत्तिः परमोपशान्तिः सा तीर्थवर्या मणिकर्णिका चज्ञानप्रवाहा विमलादिगङ्गा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥ 1 ॥

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  manō nivṛttiḥ paramōpaśāntiḥ sā tīrthavaryā maṇikarṇikā chajñānapravāhā vimalādigaṅgā sā kāśikāhaṃ nijabōdharūpā ॥ 1 ॥

  meaning

  The withdrawal of the mind is the supreme peace — and that is the sacred Manikarnika Ghat, the foremost of all pilgrimage sites. The pure flowing stream of wisdom is the Ganga of the primordial tradition — I am that Kashi, of the nature of pure self-awareness.

• verse 2

  यस्यामिदं कल्पितमिन्द्रजालं चराचरं भाति मनोविलासंसच्चित्सुखैका परमात्मरूपा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥ 2 ॥

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  yasyāmidaṃ kalpitamindrajālaṃ charācharaṃ bhāti manōvilāsaṃsachchitsukhaikā paramātmarūpā sā kāśikāhaṃ nijabōdharūpā ॥ 2 ॥

  meaning

  That in which this entire universe — moving and unmoving — appears like a magical conjuration, a play of the mind — and which is itself pure existence, consciousness and bliss, the form of the Supreme Self — I am that Kashi, of the nature of pure self-awareness.

• verse 3

  कोशेषु पञ्चस्वधिराजमाना बुद्धिर्भवानी प्रतिदेहगेहंसाक्षी शिवः सर्वगतोऽन्तरात्मा सा काशिकाहं निजबोधरूपा ॥ 3 ॥

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  kōśēṣu pañchasvadhirājamānā buddhirbhavānī pratidēhagēhaṃsākṣī śivaḥ sarvagatō'ntarātmā sā kāśikāhaṃ nijabōdharūpā ॥ 3 ॥

  meaning

  The intellect that reigns over the five sheaths of the being and in every body is Bhavani (the Goddess). The witness who is Shiva, all-pervading, the inner Self of all — I am that Kashi, of the nature of pure self-awareness.

• verse 4

  काश्या हि काशत काशी काशी सर्वप्रकाशिकासा काशी विदिता येन तेन प्राप्ता हि काशिका ॥ 4 ॥

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  kāśyā hi kāśata kāśī kāśī sarvaprakāśikāsā kāśī viditā yēna tēna prāptā hi kāśikā ॥ 4 ॥

  meaning

  Kashi shines (kashati) because of the Light (Kashi = that which shines). Kashi illuminates all. He who has truly known that Kashi has truly attained Kashi.

• verse 5

  काशीक्षेत्रं शरीरं त्रिभुवनजननी व्यापिनी ज्ञानगङ्गाभक्ति श्रद्धा गयेयं निजगुरुचरणध्यानयोगः प्रयागःविश्वेशोऽयं तुरीयः सकलजनमनः साक्षिभूतोऽन्तरात्मादेहे सर्वं मदीये यदि वसति पुनस्तीर्थमन्यत्किमस्ति ॥ 5 ॥

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  kāśīkṣētraṃ śarīraṃ tribhuvanajananī vyāpinī jñānagaṅgābhakti śraddhā gayēyaṃ nijagurucharaṇadhyānayōgaḥ prayāgaḥviśvēśō'yaṃ turīyaḥ sakalajanamanaḥ sākṣibhūtō'ntarātmādēhē sarvaṃ madīyē yadi vasati punastīrthamanyatkimasti ॥ 5 ॥

  meaning

  If this body itself is Kashi-kshetra; if the all-pervading wisdom that is the mother of the three worlds is the Ganga of knowledge; if devotion and faith are the holy site of Gaya; if meditation on one's own Guru's feet is Prayaga; if the fourth-state Shiva — the inner Self who witnesses all minds — dwells within this body — then what other pilgrimage remains?

• verse 6

  ॥ इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यविरचिता काशी पञ्चकं प्रयाताष्टकम् ॥

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  ॥ iti śrīmachChaṅkarāchāryavirachitā kāśī pañchakaṃ prayātāṣṭakam ॥

  meaning

  Colophon: Thus ends the Kashi Panchakam by Sri Shankaracharya, also known as the Prayatashtkam.