BENARES (BANARASA, VARANASI)

BENARES (BANARASA, VARANASI) …..They have rosaries around their necks and glittering jugs in their hands—they cannot be called the saints of Hari, they are the Thugs of Benares (Varanasi).(Asa Kabir, pp. 476) He lives on the bank of Asi rivulet in Benares (Varanasi). (Gond Namdev, p. 873) It is the sacred city of the Hindus, being a great religious centre. It is also called Kashi. After killing Kansa and restoring the throne of Mathura to Ugarsen, Krishna came to Kashi for higher education, because this city had been famous for higher religious education.

There is an old belief that whosoever dies here, goes to heaven. Keeping in view this belief many people used to pass their last days of lire here. Kabir, in his hymns, has rejected this belief. Some people used to get their heads sawed at Kashi for obtaining salvation. (Sorath M. 5, p. 642). See also Kashi

References :

1. Kohli,Surindar Singh ed, Dictionary of Mythological References in Guru Granth Sahib, 1993