Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23
न तत्पुण्यैर्न तद्दानैर्न तपोभिर्न तज्जपैः । न लभ्यं विविधैर्यज्ञैर्लभ्यमैशादनुग्रहात्
na tatpuṇyairna taddānairna tapobhirna tajjapaiḥ | na labhyaṃ vividhairyajñairlabhyamaiśādanugrahāt
সেই (কাশীপ্ৰাপ্তি) কেৱল পুণ্যৰে নহয়, দানেৰে নহয়, তপস্যাৰে নহয়, জপেৰে নহয়; নানাবিধ যজ্ঞেও নহয়—ইশ্বৰ (শিৱ)ৰ অনুগ্ৰহেৰে হে লাভ্য।
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.