Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11
शीतरश्मिः शिरःस्थोपि वर्षन्पीयूषसीकरैः । काशीविश्लेषजं तापं नाहो गमयितुं प्रभुः
śītaraśmiḥ śiraḥsthopi varṣanpīyūṣasīkaraiḥ | kāśīviśleṣajaṃ tāpaṃ nāho gamayituṃ prabhuḥ
حتى شيتاراشمي، القمر ذو الأشعة الباردة، وإن استقرّ على رأسي وأمطر قطرات الرحيق، لا يستطيع—وا أسفاه—أن يبدّد لهيب الفراق عن كاشي.
Śiva (Śrīkaṇṭha)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (frame)
Scene: Śiva with the crescent Moon in his matted hair; the Moon showers amṛta-like droplets, yet Śiva’s chest glows with the heat of Kāśī-viraha, showing paradox: nectar cannot cool this longing.
FAQs
Kāśī is depicted as the supreme solace; without it, even cooling divine supports cannot relieve inner burning.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), whose absence produces an incomparable ‘tāpa’ (burning).
None; the verse is devotional-poetic glorification of Kāśī.