Why to write 94 on the pyre ashes at Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi

When the pyre cools down at Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi, the person who gives the funeral pyre writes 94 on the pyre ashes.

Not everyone knows this. Only true Banarasi people or those living nearby know about this tradition. Outsiders who come to cremate the dead are not aware of this.There are a hundred paths in life. A person who performs a hundred good deeds reaps the corresponding good or bad fruits Fourfold in the next life after death. 94 actions are under the control of man. He is capable of performing them, but the results of six actions are under the control of Lord Brahma. Loss and gain, life and death, fame and infamy, these six actions are under the control of law.

So, today, 94 of your karmas have been burned along with the funeral pyre. The next six karmas will now create a new life for you.

So, 100 – 6 = 94 is written.

The Gita also states that after death, the mind takes with it five senses. This number is six: the mind and the five senses.
No one except nature knows in which country, where, and among which people the next birth will take place. So, 94 karmas have been burned away, and 6 are accompanying you.
Farewell, traveler. Your 6 karmas are with you.

A detailed description of these 100 auspicious deeds is being given to you which lead life towards religion and good deeds and this list will inspire you to do good deeds in your life……

Drawing inspiration from the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the living traditions of Kashi, this work presents a comprehensive list of 94 *Karmas* (actions) categorized as follows:

100 Good Deeds:

Dharma and Morality (Karma 1-20): The foundation of living a righteous life—truth, non-violence, compassion, devotion, and the cultivation of virtues through discipline and spiritual practice.

1. Speaking the truth
2. Practicing non-violence
3. Not stealing
4. Avoiding greed
5. Controlling anger
6. Forgiving
7. Being compassionate

8. Helping others
9. Giving alms (food, clothing, money)
10. Serving the Guru
11. Respecting parents
12. Hospitality towards guests
13. Studying religious texts
14. Reading the Vedas and Shastras
15. Going on pilgrimages
16. Performing yajnas and havans

17. Worship in temples
18. Bathing in holy rivers
19. Observance of restraint and celibacy
20. Regular meditation and yoga, social and family activities

Social and Familial Duties (Karma 21-40): Our responsibilities towards family, community, and the environment—ranging from raising children wisely to protecting nature, and from serving the elderly to fostering social harmony.

21. Raising the family
22. Providing good education to children
23. Feeding the poor
24. Serving the sick
25. Helping orphans
26. Respecting the elderly
27. Maintaining peace in society
28. Avoiding false arguments
29. Not criticizing others

30. Supporting truth and justice
31. Doing charity
32. Participating in social work
33. Protecting the environment
34. Planting trees
35. Conserving water
36. Protecting animals and birds
37. Promoting social unity
38. Inspiring others
39. Uplifting the weaker sections of society

40. Cooperation in the propagation of religion
Spiritual and personal actions

Spiritual Practices (Tasks 41–60): Inner Journey—cultivating positive consciousness through meditation, self-study, liberation from worldly attachments, control over the senses, and the company of the wise.

41. Regular chanting
42. Remembrance of God
43. Pranayama
44. Self-reflection
45. Purification of the mind
46. Control of the senses
47. Freedom from greed
48. Distance from attachment and illusion
49. Living a simple life
50. Swadhyaya (self-study)

51. In the company of saints
52. Participating in satsang
53. Immersing oneself in devotion
54. Surrendering the fruits of one’s actions to God
55. Renunciation of greed
56. Avoiding jealousy
57. Spreading peace
58. Maintaining self-confidence
59. Generosity towards others
60. Positive thinking and acts of service and charity

Service and Charity (Actions 61–80): The life-transforming power of giving—ranging from feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless to establishing institutions for education and healthcare that endure beyond our own lifetimes.

61. Feeding the hungry
62. Clothing the naked
63. Sheltering the homeless
64. Donating for education
65. Medical assistance
66. Building religious places
67. Cow service
68. Feeding animals
69. Cleaning water bodies
70. Building roads

71. Building traveler’s shelters
72. Supporting schools
73. Establishing libraries
74. Assistance in religious festivals
75. Free meals for the poor
76. Donating clothes
77. Donating medicine
78. Donating education
79. Donating girls
80. Donating land, moral and humanitarian actions

Ethical and Humane Actions (Tasks 81–94): The pinnacle of wisdom—honesty, the courage to stand against injustice, emotional understanding, and the ultimate attainment of balance in all things.

81. Not betraying trust
82. Keeping promises
83. Being dutiful
84. Committing to time
85. Being patient
86. Respecting the feelings of others
87. Fighting for the truth
88. Speaking out against injustice
89. Wiping the tears of the distressed
90. Teaching morals to children

91. Gratitude for Nature
92. Encouragement to Others
93. Purity in Thought, Speech, and Action
94. Maintaining Balance in Life

Six Divine Acts (95-100): Understanding what we cannot control—and finding liberation in that surrender—transforms anxiety into peace, the desire to hold on into grace, and fear into trust.

95. Loss
96. Gain
97. Life
98. Death
99. Fame
100. Infamy

This is a highly renowned *Chaupai* (verse) from the *Ayodhya Kanda* of the *Shri Ramcharitmanas*, composed by Goswami Tulsidas. It captures a dialogue between Maharshi Vashishtha and Bharat. Following the demise of King Dasharatha and Shri Ram’s departure for the forest, Bharat was plunged into deep grief; he was consumed by remorse, holding himself responsible for all this suffering. It was then that Guru Vashishtha spoke these words to console him and impart spiritual wisdom.

The complete verse is as follows: