Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37
अयमेव हि वै धर्मः काशीसेवनसंभवः । रुषितादपि रुद्रान्मां रक्षिष्यति न संशयः
ayameva hi vai dharmaḥ kāśīsevanasaṃbhavaḥ | ruṣitādapi rudrānmāṃ rakṣiṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
কাশীসেবাজাত এই-ই সত্য ধর্ম। রুদ্র ক্রুদ্ধ হলেও এই ধর্মই আমাকে রক্ষা করবে—এতে কোনো সন্দেহ নেই।
Skanda (deduced, Kāśī-khaṇḍa norm: Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A devotee in Kāśī performs humble service at a ghat/temple; a protective aura of Dharma rises from the act, while Rudra appears in a fierce form in the sky—yet the devotee remains fearless, sheltered by kṣetra-born dharma.
FAQs
Service to Kāśī is framed as a uniquely potent Dharma that becomes a spiritual shield, surpassing fear and uncertainty.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) itself is explicitly glorified as the source of a protective, liberating Dharma.
The implied prescription is Kāśī-sevā—devotional service and sustained religious life in Kāśī.