Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84
हा बाल हा विमल हा कमलायताक्ष हा लोकलोचनचकोर कुरंगलक्ष्मन् । हा तात तात नयनाब्ज मयूखमालिन्हा मातुरुत्सवसहस्रसुखैकहेतो
hā bāla hā vimala hā kamalāyatākṣa hā lokalocanacakora kuraṃgalakṣman | hā tāta tāta nayanābja mayūkhamālinhā māturutsavasahasrasukhaikaheto
“Alas, child—alas, pure one; alas, lotus-eyed one; O delight of the world’s gaze, O graceful fawn! Alas, dear son, dear son—O you whose lotus-eyes are garlanded with rays of light—O sole cause of a mother’s thousand festival-joys!”
A grieving mother (narrative voice within Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A mother’s lament: she addresses a radiant lotus-eyed child, recalling his purity and beauty; the setting implied is a sacred city atmosphere with temple silhouettes and riverlight.
FAQs
It portrays the depth of attachment and grief, setting the stage for seeking refuge in dharma and the saving power associated with sacred Kāśī.
The immediate verse is emotive lament; the broader frame is the Kāśī Khaṇḍa, which extols Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as a liberating sacred geography.
None directly in this verse; it functions as narrative prelude rather than a stated rite.