Every year, thousands of devotees gather at Kashi’s Manikarnika Ghat for one of the most sacred rituals, Manikarnika Snan. This holy bath, taken on Vaikuntha Chaturdashi, is believed to purify not just the body but also the soul, freeing it from the weight of past karmas. The water at this ghat is considered divine because it holds the blessings of both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Taking a dip here is believed to erase negative karma, grant peace, and open the path to moksha or liberation. In 2025, this sacred event falls on November 4, under powerful spiritual alignments that make the ritual especially auspicious.

Manikarnika Snan 2025 Date and Auspicious Timings

The Manikarnika Snan falls on Kartik Shukla Chaturdashi, the day of Vaikuntha Chaturdashi. On this day, devotees rise early, take the ritual bath at Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi, and perform joint worship of Shiva and Vishnu.

Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Tithi: Kartik Shukla Chaturdashi

Most Auspicious Bathing Time: 4:25 am to 5:16 am

Other important muhurats for the day include:

Brahma Muhurta: 04:51 am to 05:43 am

Amrit Kalam: 10:25 am to 11:51 am

Abhijit Muhurta: 11:43 am to 12:26 pm

Vijaya Muhurta: 01:54 pm to 02:38 pm

Godhuli Muhurta: 05:34 pm to 06:00 pm

Those unable to travel to Kashi can still perform the ritual at home. Adding a few drops of Ganga Jal to the bathwater and praying with devotion brings the same blessings when done with faith.

The Story Behind Manikarnika Ghat

The name Manikarnika means ‘jewelled earring.’ According to sacred legend, when Goddess Sati gave up her life in her father’s yagna, Lord Shiva carried her body across the universe in grief. Her earring fell in Kashi, marking this site as sacred.

Another legend connects the ghat with Lord Vishnu. When Vishnu came to Kashi to worship Shiva, he bathed at this spot and offered one thousand lotus flowers to Mahadev. To test his devotion, Shiva hid one lotus. When Vishnu could not find it, he offered his own eye as the final flower. Pleased, Shiva blessed him and declared that anyone who bathed at this place on Vaikuntha Chaturdashi would gain freedom from sins and attain salvation. That divine blessing is what makes Manikarnika Snan one of the most powerful spiritual rituals in Hindu tradition.

Spiritual Significance of Manikarnika Snan

The Manikarnika Ghat is not just a place of pilgrimage; it is where life and death meet with divine acceptance. The cremation fire at the ghat has been burning continuously for thousands of years. This symbolises the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and reminds devotees that the soul is eternal.

Bathing at this ghat during Vaikuntha Chaturdashi is said to cleanse lifetimes of karmic debt and prepare the soul for liberation. The act also represents surrender, humility, and renewal. By offering prayers to both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva, devotees invite balance and harmony into their lives: wisdom from Vishnu and freedom from Shiva.

How to Perform the Manikarnika Snan 

You can perform this sacred ritual at the ghat or at home if travel is not possible. The key is faith and a calm, devoted mind.

Before the Bath

• Wake up before sunrise and bathe.

• Prepare your puja thali with tulsi leaves, belpatra, white flowers, fruits, incense, ghee lamps, and Ganga water.

• Sit quietly and take a vow: ‘I take this sacred Manikarnika Snan to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu for purity, peace, and liberation.’

During the Bath

• Bathe in the Ganga or use water mixed with Ganga Jal.

• Chant Om Namah Shivaya and Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

• Meditate on the flow of water, removing every trace of negativity.

After the Bath

• Perform joint worship of Lord Shiva and Vishnu.

• Offer tulsi to Vishnu and bel leaves to Shiva.

• Perform abhishek with Panchamrit made from milk, honey, curd, ghee, and sugar.

• Light a lamp and float it on the river or in your home puja bowl.

• Chant the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra for inner strength and peace. You can listen and chant along on AstroSure.ai for healing and clarity.

If You Cannot Visit the Ghat

The spirit of Manikarnika Snan lies in intention, not location. If you cannot travel to Kashi, you can still observe the ritual:

• Add a few drops of Ganga Jal to your bath at home.

• Meditate on the Ganga and visualise yourself at Manikarnika Ghat.

• Offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Vishnu together.

This symbolic bath, done with true faith, holds the same spiritual value.

Benefits of Performing Manikarnika Snan 2025

The benefits of this ritual are both spiritual and emotional.

• Cleanses karmic debt: Frees the soul from past actions.

• Promotes peace and focus: Calms the mind and reduces stress.

• Removes doshas: Eases the effects of planetary afflictions.

• Brings prosperity: Attracts success, health, and good fortune.

• Honours ancestors: Helps departed souls attain peace.

• Leads toward moksha: Opens the path to liberation and divine union.

Those who perform this ritual sincerely experience an unexplainable lightness, as if they have been spiritually reborn.

Remedies and Offerings for Manikarnika Snan

To amplify the power of the ritual, follow these remedies during the day:

• Offer milk and bel leaves to Lord Shiva.

• Bathe Lord Vishnu with Tulsi and Panchamrit.

• Donate food, clothes, and lamps to the needy.

• Sprinkle Ganga water in your home for positivity.

• Feed cows and birds to spread divine energy.

• Small acts of charity and kindness performed on this day carry great spiritual weight and multiply the blessings received.

Manikarnika Ghat: The Eternal Flame of Kashi

The sacred fire at Manikarnika Ghat has never gone out. It burns day and night, symbolising the continuous journey of the soul. Ancient stories tell of King Harishchandra, who once worked there as a cremation keeper after losing his kingdom, proving that truth and devotion transcend status. Even today, sages and seekers come to this ghat not in fear of death but in celebration of liberation. During the Manikarnika Snan, this spirit fills the air, and the city becomes a living temple where water, fire, and devotion merge.

Manikarnika Snan 2025 is a sacred opportunity to reset spiritually, clear inner heaviness, and embrace peace. Whether you take the dip in Kashi or perform the ritual at home, the essence remains the same: surrender, devotion, and renewal. When Lord Shiva’s grace meets Lord Vishnu’s compassion, the result is freedom from karmic cycles and a life aligned with peace and purpose.

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