Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85
स्कंद उवाच । कृत्तिवासः समुत्पत्तिं ये श्रोष्यंतीह मानवाः । तल्लिंगदर्शनाच्छ्रेयो लप्स्यंते नात्र संशयः
skaṃda uvāca | kṛttivāsaḥ samutpattiṃ ye śroṣyaṃtīha mānavāḥ | talliṃgadarśanācchreyo lapsyaṃte nātra saṃśayaḥ
Skanda said: Those who, here, listen to the account of Kṛttivāsa’s origin will surely obtain spiritual good; and by the darśana of that Liṅga they attain auspicious welfare—of this there is no doubt.
Skanda
Tirtha: Kṛttivāseśvara
Type: kshetra
Listener: Agastya (implied by surrounding context of Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues; explicit listener not in this verse but consistent with adjacent address patterns)
Scene: Skanda as divine teacher speaking to an attentive assembly; behind him, the Kṛttivāseśvara shrine glows. Two streams of devotees: listeners seated with palms joined, and pilgrims approaching for darśana.
FAQs
Both śravaṇa (devotional listening) and darśana (sacred viewing) are affirmed as powerful means to attain śreyaḥ—true spiritual welfare.
The Liṅga associated with Kṛttivāsa—Kṛttivāseśvara in Kāśī.
Śravaṇa of the māhātmya/origin narrative and darśana of the liṅga.