Yogareise Nordindien | Varanasi | Indien Spirituelle Reise

Varanasi

Varanasi, Banaras, Kashi (City of light) is the city with many names and mystical stories. The city is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.

After the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, Shiva had to look for a suitable place for the two. He chose Varanasi with its many gardens, temples and palaces.

Kashi is still Shiva's city today. Thousands of Shiva temples can be found in Varanasi. It is said that this city is the most original place, created by Shiva and Parvati from the beginning of time, when no other place ever existed. The place where the whole creation was born and to which it will return at the end of time. The place where Shiva Lingam was put on earth for the first time, as a symbol of higher consciousness.

Shiva, like his city of Varanasi, is a combination of opposites that make his unpredictable. He has no riches, no family, nothing of worldly values that would distinguish him. At times, he represents himself as the terrible, and then again the auspicious, the gentle one. He destroys and he creates and he wounds and he heals.

Prior to her marriage, Parvati was advised against marriage to Shiva. She should choose dear Vishnu, a more suitable bridegroom, because Shiva would be too ugly to live by her side. Then she taught a doctrine to every doubter, saying that Shiva was without precious attributes of this world. Why? Because Shiva is Brahma that transcends higher consciousness, and the whole Maya (the world how we perceive it). The embellishments and decorations of this world are not to be found in him, because he is above what is generally called beauty and bliss.

Shiva transcends conventional ideas and classifications into good and evil. He is not classified in any caste, neither in the Brahmins who pass on the traditions, since the Vedas do not recognize him as such. Nor does he belong to the warrior caste of the Kshatriyas as he enjoys the destruction of the world and the Kshatriyas save the world from destruction. And he can not be a Vaishya (Krishna follower) because he does not know wealth. He is not a shudra (craftsman, servant). In addition, he is ageless. So he stands above all varnas (casts) and ashramas (the stages of life).

Everything is assigned to its original source, the prakriti (the basic constitution), but Shiva has no prakriti. He is not a man because half of his body is a woman. He is not a woman because he wears a beard. He is without beginning and age. Shiva can not be classified in any way. He can not even be assigned by gender since Shiva is half Shakti, his feminine energy.

All these stories still stand out today from the high towers of the ghats of Varanasi and when one deals with Shiva, one also deals automatically with Varanasi. Because this city is a reflection of Shiva. There may not be a city that can underline our own mood like Varanasi. For some, this can be an exhilaration and a confrontation with one's ego, which is constantly being remembered here. As we stroll along the shore through the old city, or flow along the slow river stream of the Ganges by boat, we feel transported back to a different time. Varanasi is the only place where the Ganges flows from south to north, representing the ascending Kundalini. Every sadhana, every yogic practice is of particular importance here.

In Varanasi we will discover Indian classical music. Through Yogasubmarine's contacts with the best musicians in the city, we enjoy Kathak dance and concerts with sitar and tabla.

Varanasi is too extreme to be easy. Varanasi is the encounter with the stranger, a challenge for the senses and an inexorable invitation to wonder.

Indian myths and stories

Shiva, like his city Varanasi, is a combination of opposites that makes him unpredictable. He has no wealth, no family, no worldly values that would distinguish him. At times he presents himself as the terrible one, and at other times he is called the auspicious one, the gentle one. He destroys and he creates and he wounds and he heals.

Before her wedding, Parvati was advised against marrying Shiva. She should choose a more suitable groom, dear Vishnu, because this Shiva was too ugly to live by her side. So she gave every doubter a lesson and said that this Shiva was without any valuable attributes of this world. Why? Because Shiva is Brahman, the higher consciousness, and transcends all of Maya (the world as we perceive it). The embellishments and decorations of this world are not to be found in him, because he is above what is generally called beauty and bliss.

Shiva transcends conventional ideas and classifications of good and evil.

He cannot be classified into any caste, neither into the Brahmins who pass on the traditions, since the Vedas do not recognize him as such. Nor does he belong to the warrior caste of the Kshatriyas, since he delights in the destruction of the world, and the Kshatriyas protect the world from destruction. And he cannot be a Vaishya (devotee of Krishna) since he does not know abundance and prosperity. Nor is he a Shudra (artisan, servant). In addition, he is ageless. So he is above all Varnas (the castes) and Ashramas (the stages of life).

Everything is attributed to its original source, Prakriti (the original constitution), but Shiva has no Prakriti. He is not a man because half of his body is woman. He is also not a woman because he has a beard. He has no beginning and no age. Shiva cannot be classified in any way. He cannot even be classified by gender because Shiva is half Shakti, his female energy.

All these stories still stand today from the high towers of the ghats of Varanasi and when you think about Shiva, you automatically think about Varanasi as this city is an image of Shiva.

why is Varanasi so holy

There is perhaps no other city that can underline and multiply our own mood as much as Varanasi. For some, this can be a feeling of exhilaration, and for others, a confrontation with their own ego, which is constantly reminded here.

When we stroll through the old city along the river bank, or float along the slow flow of the Ganges in a boat at sunrise, we feel transported back to a completely different time. Varanasi is the only place where the Ganges flows from north to south, which represents the rising Kundalini. Every sadhana (yogic practice) is of special importance here.