Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28
न यदा भूमिवलयं न यदाऽपां समुद्भवः । तदा विहर्तुमीशेन क्षेत्रमेतद्विनि र्मितम्
na yadā bhūmivalayaṃ na yadā'pāṃ samudbhavaḥ | tadā vihartumīśena kṣetrametadvini rmitam
حين لم يكن هناك بعدُ طوقُ الأرض، وحين لم تكن المياه قد نشأت، عندئذٍ—لكي يلهو الإله—صُنِع هذا الحقل المقدّس.
Skanda
Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Agastya (implied by adjacent address)
Scene: A pre-cosmic void—no earth-ring, no waters—then a radiant sacred field appears, as if drawn by Īśvara’s will for divine play; Śiva’s presence implied as the architect of sanctity.
FAQs
The kṣetra’s holiness is primordial—rooted in divine will prior to cosmic formation.
Avimukta-kṣetra of Kāśī, described as pre-cosmic and intentionally established by Īśvara.
None; the verse is an origin-affirmation supporting pilgrimage faith and kṣetra-mahātmya.