Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23
न तत्पुण्यैर्न तद्दानैर्न तपोभिर्न तज्जपैः । न लभ्यं विविधैर्यज्ञैर्लभ्यमैशादनुग्रहात्
na tatpuṇyairna taddānairna tapobhirna tajjapaiḥ | na labhyaṃ vividhairyajñairlabhyamaiśādanugrahāt
إن بلوغ ذلك (كاشي) لا يُنال بالمآثر وحدها، ولا بالعطايا، ولا بالزهد والتقشّف، ولا بالجَپَا؛ ولا تناله حتى أنواع القرابين المتعددة، بل يُنال بنعمة إيشا (شيفا).
Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Muni (sage)
Scene: A didactic moment: the speaker enumerates merit-acts (dāna, tapas, japa, yajña) shown as symbolic offerings, yet all bow toward a towering Śiva-linga radiating ‘anugraha’ as the true gateway to Kāśī.
FAQs
Spiritual effort is honored, but Kāśī’s attainment is ultimately framed as a gift of Śiva’s grace.
Kāśī/Avimukta, whose attainment is said to depend on Īśa’s favor.
Dāna, tapas, japa, and yajña are mentioned as insufficient by themselves; the verse stresses reliance on divine grace.