The above Shloka has been taken from the Skanda Purana where Lord Shiva is saying “Devotees who spend three nights in Kashi religiously become so respectable that merely touching their feet is considered auspicious (Punya Karma)”.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the most important temple of Lord Shiva located on the western bank of the Holy River Ganges.
The sacred Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and it is written in the Shiv Mahapuran that Kashi is the place where the first Jyotirlinga took form.
The fiery pillar of divine light for ‘Gyan’ and ‘Moksha’ broke from Kashi right into the solar space. it was through this divine light representing Gyan and Moksha that Lord Shiva proclaimed his supreme nature over all other Devi and Devtas.
Hence the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is very dear to Lord Shiva and according to the Shri Shiv Maha Purana, this is the temple where one can by mere darshan achieve Salvation.
It is in Kashi that Lord Shiva directly gives the Tarak Mantra to all those who die in his Avimukta Kshetra. Praying in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple satisfies all the desires and blesses the devotee with the excellence of knowledge and education in his sphere.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is an architecture Mastercraft made with a gold Chattra plating on its dome which is 15.5 meters thick and hence is also known as the Golden Temple.
Lord Shiva says that Kashi does not reside in Kashi but it is the holy city of Kashi that resides within him (in his heart). It is written in the Shiva Mahapurana that Kashi does not reside on Earth; it is located on the three spokes of Lord Shiva.
Even in the Pralay time, It is believed that Lord Shiva will hold Kashi on his Trishul and there will be no destruction caused to the city hence it is also known as ‘Avinashi‘ ( the indestructible).
