Kashi Vishwanath

Kashi Vishwanath is the presiding deity of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the most sacred manifestations of Lord Shiva. The name 'Vishwanath' means 'Lord of the Universe,' and the deity is revered as the supreme ruler of the cosmos. According to the Shiva Purana, the Jyotirlingas are self-manifested lingas of light, and Kashi Vishwanath is considered the first among them. The Skanda Purana, particularly the Kashi Khanda, extols Varanasi as the city of liberation (Moksha), where a mere glimpse of the deity or death within its precincts grants freedom from the cycle of rebirth.

The iconography is that of a linga, the aniconic form of Shiva, enshrined in a temple located on the western bank of the Ganga River. The current temple structure was built in 1780 by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, and the golden spire was donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Symbolically, the linga represents the formless aspect of Shiva, while the Ganga river signifies purity and the flow of divine grace. The deity is accompanied by Nandi, the bull mount, and his consort is Parvati, worshipped here as Vishalakshi.

Principal myths include the legend of Shiva appearing as a column of light to settle a dispute between Brahma and Vishnu, as narrated in the Shiva Purana. Another episode from the Kashi Khanda describes how Shiva took up residence in Kashi to liberate souls. Regional worship traditions are centered in Varanasi, where daily rituals include the Mangala Aarti and the Shringar Aarti. The temple is a major pilgrimage site, especially during Maha Shivaratri and the month of Sawan, when devotees offer Ganga water and bilva leaves.

In Hindu cosmology, Kashi Vishwanath embodies the cosmic principle of destruction and regeneration, and the city of Kashi is considered the axis mundi, the center of the universe. The deity's association with liberation makes it a focal point for those seeking spiritual emancipation.

Linga form. The temple is on the banks of Ganga. Current temple built by Ahilyabai Holkar.