History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.120

v5.c74.t2.120

Although generally Kāśī, Vārāṇasī and Avimukta are used as synonyms in the Purāṇas, in some passages a distinction is made between these as to extent. The passages quoted above ( in note 1419) show that Vārāṇasī is bounded by the Varaṇā and Asi on the north and south,¹⁴²⁶ the Ganges on the east and the shrine of Vināyaka in the west. Ain. A. ( vol II p. 158 ) remarks that Benares is a large city situated between the rivers Barnā and Asi and that it is built in the form of a bow of which the Ganges forms the string. The Matsyapurāṇa ¹⁴²⁷ states : ' that *kṣetra* is two *yojanas* and a half east and west and half a *yojana* broad north and south; out of this Vārāṇasī extends up to the dry river ( viz. Asi )'. The first part appears to deal with the entire Kāśīkṣetra which according to the Padmapurāṇa ¹⁴²⁸ comprised the tract covered by a circle the radius of which was the line joining Madhyameśvara-liṅga with the shrine of Dehalī-Gaṇeśa. The Matsyapurāṇa (in chap. 183.61-62) makes it two yojanas in extent Agni 112 6 also does the same But that is only approximate The actual distance covered by a yojana varied Vide H. of Dh vol III pp. 145-146 n. 185 Rhys Davids in '*Numismata Orientalia*' (London, 1877) after examining 30 passages from Pāli texts comes to the conclusion that a yojana was equal to about 7 or 8 miles Avimukta is said to be that part of the holy place which is represented by a radius of 200 dhanus (i e. 800 hastas or about 1200 feet) in all four directions from the shrine of Viśveśvara.¹⁴²⁹ There was no unanimity on the extent of Avimukta. In Kāśīkhaṇḍa Avimukta1429a is said to be five *krośas* in extent But there Avimukta appears to stand for Kāśī. The innermost¹⁴³⁰ circle in the holy Kāśīkṣetra is defined as that between Gokarṇeśvara to the west, the mid stream of the Ganges to the east, Bhārabhūta to the north and Brahmeśvara to the south. A few more passages on the extent of the sacred place of Banaras may be cited here in one place. The Liṅgapurāṇa¹⁴³¹ says 'this kṣetra is declared to be four *krośas* (in extent) in the four directions and also one yojana'. The Nāradīyapurāṇa¹⁴³² puts the extent thus '(The kṣetra) extends over two *yojanas* and a half from east to west and is half a yojana wide from north to south, god Śambhu declared the extent of the kṣetra between the rivers Varuṇā and Asi (which latter is) a dried-up stream' In the Padmapurāṇa¹⁴³³