Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53
ममतारहितस्यापि मम सर्वात्मनो ध्रुवम् । त एव मामका लोके ये काशीनाम जापकाः
mamatārahitasyāpi mama sarvātmano dhruvam | ta eva māmakā loke ye kāśīnāma jāpakāḥ
যদিও আমি মমতাহীন এবং সকলের আত্মা, তবু নিশ্চিত—এই জগতে যারা কাশীর নাম জপ করে, তারাই সত্যই আমার আপনজন।
Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context; first-person ‘mama’)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta Kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: A devotee-sage interlocutor within Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s frame (contextual)
Scene: Shiva as Viśvanātha, serene and all-pervading, extends a gesture of acceptance toward pilgrims softly repeating ‘Kāśī’; the city’s ghats and a luminous lingam suggest Avimukta’s ever-present grace.
FAQs
Nāma-japa of Kāśī creates an intimate divine relationship; the chanter becomes especially dear to the Lord.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), through the practice of chanting her name.
Kāśī-nāma-japa (repetition of the name of Kāśī).