Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25
कः काशीं प्राप्य दुर्बुद्धिरपरत्र यियासति । मोक्षनिक्षेप कलशीं तुच्छश्रीकृतमानसः
kaḥ kāśīṃ prāpya durbuddhiraparatra yiyāsati | mokṣanikṣepa kalaśīṃ tucchaśrīkṛtamānasaḥ
কাশী লাভ করে কোন মূঢ় ব্যক্তি অন্যত্র যেতে চাইবে? কাশী তো মোক্ষ-নিক্ষেপের কলসী; তুচ্ছ ঐশ্বর্যে মন ক্ষুদ্র করা লোকই কেবল অন্য পথে যেতে চায়।
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: null
Scene: Kāśī as a sacred golden kalaśa overflowing with light labeled ‘mokṣa’, while a pilgrim turns away from glittering but small worldly palaces and jewels; the Gaṅgā and Viśvanātha temple anchor the scene.
FAQs
Worldly attractions are ‘small’ compared to liberation; Kāśī is praised as a unique locus where mokṣa is most accessible.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), explicitly exalted as a “mokṣa-vessel” (mokṣa-nikṣepa-kalaśī).
No formal rite; it counsels steadfast attachment to Kāśī over chasing lesser worldly gains.