Ahilyabai Holkar · Sanskrit Story

The Kashi Vishwanath Restoration

काशीविश्वनाथमन्दिरम्

Kashi Vishwanath temple historical records; S.N. Sen — History of the Marathas; Vrindavanlal Verma accounts · Beginner Sanskrit

Moral · नीतिः

सेवा सर्वोत्कृष्टः यज्ञः।

Sevā sarvotkṛṣṭaḥ yajñaḥ.

Service is the highest sacrifice.

The Lord of Kashi

काशी — वाराणसी — भारतस्य प्राचीनतमं नगरम्। तत्र विश्वनाथः — साक्षात् शिवः — वसति इति भक्ताः विश्वसन्ति। मूलमन्दिरं ध्वस्तम् आसीत्। भक्ताः शोकितानि मनांसि वहन्ति स्म। अहिल्या काश्यां गता — दर्शनाय, संकल्पाय च। "विश्वनाथः काश्यां पुनः प्रकाशिष्यति" — एतत् तस्याः निश्चयः।

Kashi — Varanasi — the most ancient city of India. There, Vishwanath — Lord Shiva himself — is believed to reside by devoted pilgrims. The original temple had been destroyed. Devotees carried sorrow in their hearts. Ahilya went to Kashi — to receive darshan (दर्शन — sacred sight) and to make her resolve. "Vishwanath shall shine again in Kashi" — this was her conviction.

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