History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t2.182

v5.c74.t2.182

What happens if a person commits sins outside Kāśī, comes to Kāśī and then dies, or if a resident of Kāśī commits sins in Kāśī but dies either at Kāśī or outside it? The Tri. S. after quoting several verses from the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, Padmapurāṇa and Brahmavaivarta states the following conclusions (p. 268). Sins committed elsewhere are destroyed by coming to Kāśī.¹⁴⁶⁶ He who residing in Kāśī is always addicted to sins becomes a *piśāca* (goblin) for thirty thousand years, again dwells in Kāśī, secures highest knowledge and then obtains *mokṣa.* Those who being residents of Kāśī commit sins have not to undergo the tortures of Yama whether they die in Kāśī or elsewhere. Those who after committing sins in Kāśī die there will be punished by Kālabhairava Those who die elsewhere (after committing sins in Kāśī) first undergo torments inflicted by the *gaṇas* of Śiva called Yāma, then undergo torments inflicted by Kālabhairava for thirty thousand years, are then born as mortal men, then die in Kāśī and secure release (from saṃsāra) at the end.