Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22
कृतधीभ्योपि कर्तारः कर्तृभ्यो ब्रह्मतत्पराः । न तेषामर्चनीयोऽन्यस्त्रिषु लोकेषु कुंभज
kṛtadhībhyopi kartāraḥ kartṛbhyo brahmatatparāḥ | na teṣāmarcanīyo'nyastriṣu lokeṣu kuṃbhaja
কৃতধীসকলতকৈও উচ্চ হৈছে ধৰ্মকৰ্ম সম্পাদনকাৰীসকল; কৰ্তাসকলতকৈও উচ্চ হৈছে যিসকলে ব্ৰহ্মত সম্পূৰ্ণ তৎপৰ। হে কুম্ভজ, ত্ৰিলোকত তেওঁলোকৰ বাবে আন কোনো আৰাধ্য নাই।
Skanda
Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Kumbhaja (Agastya)
Scene: A realized devotee stands before a simple liṅga (Viśveśvara) with unwavering gaze; other deities and worldly attractions fade into the background, while a radiant Brahman-light fills the scene; the sage addresses Kumbhaja nearby.
FAQs
It ranks spiritual excellence: mature understanding, dharmic action, and finally unwavering devotion to Brahman as the highest attainment.
Kāśī is the doctrinal backdrop: the city of liberation where Brahman-realization is treated as the summit.
Worship (arcana) is referenced negatively: for the Brahman-devoted, no other object of worship is considered higher or necessary.