Chapter 100i - Phalaśruti (Fruit of hearing etc.) of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa

Vyāsa said:

106. O Sūta, on hearing this excellent greatness of Kāśī as described in the Skanda Purāṇa, no man falls into hell even if he commits a thousand sins.

107. By listening to Kāśīkhaṇḍa, O Sūta, one undoubtedly attains that merit which is acquired after bathing in all the Tīrthas.

108. Certainly then the man gets by thus listening that merit which is acquired by making all kinds of gifts and performing many Yajñas.

109-110. By listening to Kāśīkhaṇḍa, that great merit is acquired which is usually acquired after performing severe penances and also by learning all the four Vedas along with their ancillaries.

111. Grandfathers become satisfied by listening to this in the same manner as the ancestors are satisfied after gifts are made in Gayā.

112. If Kāśīkhaṇḍa which is the cause of all welfare is heard by persons of steady intellect, then all the Purāṇas have been heard.

113. If the excellent greatness of Kāśī is listened to by men of steady minds, they acquire great heaps of merits and all the Dharmas have been paid heed to by them.

114. If the whole Khaṇḍa is recited (silently), that alone is the worship of the Lord. It is glorified as the greatest adoration. The entire Khaṇḍa should be listened to with faith, O Brāhmaṇa.

115. If anyone listens to even one story of Kāśīkhaṇḍa, undoubtedly all the Dharmaśāstras have been heard by him.

116. This Kāśīkhaṇḍa is known as the sole cause of great Dharmas, the expounder of great truths and the cause of the acquisition of all desires.

117. By listening to this, Kaivalya (Salvation) ceases to be far off in the case of men. All the Pitṛs become pleased on hearing this excellent Khaṇḍa.

118-119. All the immortal beings beginning with Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva become pleased. The sages rejoice. Sanaka and others become elated. All shall certainly be delighted; all the four types of living beings become pleased by listening to this greatness of Vārāṇasī.

120-121. If a learned man expounds this excellent narrative entirely, or even half, or even a quarter or half of that or one excellent episode, he should be assiduously bowed to, he should be worshipped like a favourite deity. In order to please Viśveśa much should be given to him.

122-132. If he is satisfied, Viśveśa too is undoubtedly satisfied. There cannot be any powerful inauspicious thing in the place where this Khaṇḍa, the cause of the greatest bliss, is being read. The learned man who listens to this, the sensible scholar who expounds this and the meritorious-souled man who reads this, all these are forms of Rudra.

If anyone copies this and offers this beautiful book to anyone else, it is as though all the Purāṇas have been given by him, not otherwise.

A giver of the manuscript is honoured in heaven as many thousands of Yugas as there are episodes in this, as there are verses in this, as there are words, as there are syllables in this, as many Mātrās (Syllabic instants) there are here, as many rows of words are here, as there are threads in the string, as many threads in the cloth, as many pictures there are in the beautiful book.

He who listens to this excellent Khaṇḍa twelve times, will be rid of the sin of even Brāhmaṇa-slaughter immediately, with the favour of Śaṃbhu.

If a man without a son listens to this after due bath with great faith, he will surely have a son by the power of the command of Śaṃbhu.

Of what avail is speaking much, O Sūta? Whatever may be one’s wish one shall be blessed by listening to this and obtain the same.

Even if a man listens to this excellent Kāśīkhaṇḍa from a far-off land, he will have the merit of residing in Kāśī at the behest of Śiva.

By listening to this a man will be victorious everywhere. He will be of pure heart and he will enjoy bliss everywhere.

133. One shall have interest in listening to this, only if Viśveśa is pleased with one. He is meritorious. His mind is free from impurities.

134. This book is the most excellent one of great auspiciousness among all auspicious things. It must be copied in writing and should be worshipped for the attainment of all auspiciousness.

:: End of Kāśīkhaṇḍa Uttarārdha ::

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