kāśīkṣetraṁ nivāsśca jāhnavī caraṇodakaṁ | gururviśveśvaraḥ sākṣāt tārakaṁ brahmaniścayaḥ || 37 ||
37. The place where the Guru resides is Kāśī Kṣetra (the energy center, Kāśī) and His feet-washed water is Jāhnavī (Gaṇgā). The Guru is Lord Viṣveśvara (Viśvanāth or Śiva) personified and He is certainly Tāraka Brahma, the Supreme savior who causes the cross-over of worldly-ocean.
(mention about Kasi relevance, satsang; on Ganga and Guru is God, possibility)
(Note: Taraka – liberating, saving, one who causes or enables to cross over (ocean of saṁsāra). On Taraka brahma. Link: Taraka Brahma comes on earth when there is much sin. (like yada yada hi dharmasya. He forms a desire to appear on Earth to restore dharma. He himself is a born Guru and has no spiritual Guru. Taraka Brahma needs no spiritual Sadhana, but to just set an example to others, He performs Sadhana with the masses.)
(Kashi significance)
Kāśi, this place is Ānanda Vana (blissful forest). Varanasi is called as Ānanda Vana, because it is Mahādeva's quarters. This is where He lives. The first quarters He built for Himself, the first city He developed for Himself—Ānanda Vana!
Anybody burnt here is liberated immediately! Mahādeva appears and initiates them, liberates them! This is Avimukta Kśetra–never forsaken, never given up! Avimukta Kśetra!
This city Varanasi is literally like the Cosmos! If you understand it, it is most fascinating. You will see such a beautiful order in the chaos. If you don't, you will see so much of chaos even in the order! If you don't understand, it will be frustrating. If you understand, this will be the most fascinating city! This city is older than history itself! And far older than legends itself! And still most fascinating!
Varanasi is the oldest city of Bharat. When Mahādeva got married to Pārvatī, and after Ganesha, Subramanya, all of them happened, all the Gaṇas requested Mahādeva, 'Let's go down to the plains and establish a community.' Mahādeva agreed and came down from Kailāsha with His great disciples, followers and būtha-preta-gana (ghosts and goblins), and established the city for Himself.
At that time, Kashi was called Ānanda Gandha, Ānanda Vana. Listen! The word Ānanda Gandha is used in our whole spiritual literature only once by Ādī Śaṅkara, when He sings about Viśvanātha in Viśvanāthaśtakam.
Only after a long time Gaṅgā (sacred river) came to have Mahādeva's darśan at Kashi and to wash His feet. The city is older than Ganga. The city was not built for Ganga, she came as a visitor later on. Then after Ganga came and had darśan of Mahādeva, Varuṇa and Assi joined, and it became Varanasi.
The whole city is a consolidated experience of Advaita. Please understand, the city is not built with stone, wood, cement, concrete. It is the consolidated Advaitic experience of millions of Enlightened Beings. With that experience of Advaita the city is built. That is why it is 'Suvarṇa Bhūmi—the city is the Golden City.'