Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 40
षडंगयोगान्नहि तादृशी नृभिः शरीरसिद्धिः सहसात्र लभ्यते । सुखेन काशीं समवाप्य यादृशीदृशौ स्थिरीकृत्य शिव त्वयि क्षणम्
ṣaḍaṃgayogānnahi tādṛśī nṛbhiḥ śarīrasiddhiḥ sahasātra labhyate | sukhena kāśīṃ samavāpya yādṛśīdṛśau sthirīkṛtya śiva tvayi kṣaṇam
ষড়ঙ্গ-যোগে মানুষের পক্ষে এখানে তেমন দেহসিদ্ধি সহসা লাভ হয় না। কিন্তু সহজে কাশী প্রাপ্ত হয়ে, হে শিব, ক্ষণমাত্রও তোমার উপর দৃষ্টি স্থির করলে সেই একই সিদ্ধি লাভ হয়।
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly of listeners
Scene: A pilgrim reaches Kāśī and, amid temple spires and ghāṭas, fixes an unwavering gaze on Śiva for a single moment; the aura suggests instant inner perfection surpassing arduous yogic practice.
FAQs
Kāśī makes difficult yogic attainments accessible through simple pilgrimage and Śiva-darśana.
Kāśī, as the place where even momentary focus on Śiva yields extraordinary fruit.
Darśana and dhyāna are implied: reach Kāśī and fix one’s gaze/mind on Śiva even briefly.