Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 66
प्रायशः शंभुभक्तेषु यतस्त्वं प्रोच्यसेऽग्रणीः । एकोनेऽब्जसहस्रेप्राग्ददौ नेत्रांबुजं भवान्
prāyaśaḥ śaṃbhubhakteṣu yatastvaṃ procyase'graṇīḥ | ekone'bjasahasreprāgdadau netrāṃbujaṃ bhavān
কারণ তুমি শম্ভুভক্তদের মধ্যে প্রায়ই অগ্রগণ্য বলে খ্যাত। পূর্বে সহস্র পদ্মে এক পদ্ম কম পড়লে তুমি নিজের পদ্মনয়নই অর্পণ করেছিলে।
Vīrabhadra
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pilgrim-audience within the Purāṇic frame
Scene: A laudatory recollection: the devotee, short of one lotus in a thousand-lotus offering, plucks/places his own lotus-like eye as the final offering to Śambhu.
FAQs
True devotion is self-offering; the highest bhakti transcends sectarian division and honors the Supreme through humility.
The Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s larger purpose is Kāśī’s glory; this verse instead recalls a famed act of devotion to Śiva.
It alludes to lotus-offering worship (puṣpārcana) to Śiva, highlighting completeness and sincerity in worship.