Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53
विनायज्ञैर्विनादानैर्विना व्रतजपादिभिः । विनातिपुण्यसंभारैः कः काशीं प्राप्तुमीहते
vināyajñairvinādānairvinā vratajapādibhiḥ | vinātipuṇyasaṃbhāraiḥ kaḥ kāśīṃ prāptumīhate
من غير يَجْنَا (القرابين)، ومن غير دَانَا (الصدقة)، ومن غير النذور وترديد الجَپَا وما شابه—ومن غير رصيد وافر من البرّ—فمن ذا يطمع أن يبلغ كاشي؟
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A pilgrim at a crossroads: one path labeled yajña, another dāna, another vrata-japa; all converge toward a radiant Kāśī gate, implying merit as the key to entry.
FAQs
Access to great sacred power is linked with prior dharmic merit; one should cultivate puṇya through righteous acts.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is explicitly presented as a supremely meritorious destination.
Yajña (sacrifice), dāna (charity), vrata (vows), and japa (mantra repetition) are named as sources of puṇya supporting the attainment of Kāśī.