Sacred Site of the Mahabharata
Varanasi (Kashi)
वाराणसी (काशी)
Ancient sacred city
Varanasi (Kashi): Ancient sacred city, located at coordinates 25.32°N, 83.01°E.
Key Facts
| Type | Sacred Site |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit name | वाराणसी (काशी) |
| Coordinates | 25.32°N, 83.01°E |
| Significance | Ancient sacred city |
About Varanasi (Kashi)
The eternal city, one of the oldest living cities. Several events in the epic took place here.
Why it matters: Ancient sacred city
Details
- Temple
- Various temples mentioned in the epic
- Ghat
- Sacred ghats on the Ganges
- Sages
- Residence of many great sages
On the Map
Varanasi (Kashi) sits at 25.32°N, 83.01°E.
View on the full mapEvents at Varanasi (Kashi)
- Dhritarashtra's Forest RetreatYear 15Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti retire to the forest as hermits. A forest fire claims their lives.
- Vidura's LiberationYear 15During their forest retirement, Yudhishthira encounters Vidura - exhausted and starving. Vidura transmits his life force into Yudhishthira through yoga and attains liberation.
Stories Set at Varanasi (Kashi)
The Great Departure
Krishna's Death, the End of the Yadavas, and the Pandavas' Climb to Heaven
The Forest Retreat
Book 15 - How the Blind King Walked Into the Woods to Die
Kashi, the City of Light in the Epic
Three princesses and a long revenge
The Naked Priest of Varanasi
How a king outbid Indra for a brother nobody wanted
The Guest Who Smiled
Vyasa and Maitreya argue over gift, penance and knowledge at Baranasi
Sakamvari and the Ford of Gold
The goddess who fed the sages on herbs, and the tirtha where Vishnu knelt to Rudra
How Vishnu Got the Discus
Upamanyu tells Krishna where Sudarsana came from, and Krishna climbs Himavat to ask Mahadeva for a son