Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100
इदं रम्यमिदं नेति बीजं दुःखमहातरोः । तस्मिन्काश्यग्निना दग्धे दुःखस्यावसरः कुतः
idaṃ ramyamidaṃ neti bījaṃ duḥkhamahātaroḥ | tasminkāśyagninā dagdhe duḥkhasyāvasaraḥ kutaḥ
«Ceci est agréable, ceci ne l’est pas»—s’attacher et rejeter ainsi est la semence du grand arbre de la souffrance. Quand cette semence est brûlée par le feu de Kāśī, où la douleur pourrait-elle prendre appui ?
Bhagavān (continuing the Dhruva dialogue context)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: An inner-vision scene: the ‘seed’ of sorrow labeled ‘idam ramyam/idam neti’ is cast into a blazing sacred fire identified with Kāśī; the tree of sorrow withers into ash while a pilgrim stands serene on a ghat.
FAQs
Dualistic clinging (‘like/dislike’) generates suffering; Kāśī is praised as a purifier that destroys its very seed.
Kāśī, described metaphorically as a spiritual ‘fire’ that burns the roots of sorrow.
No explicit rite; the verse teaches inner renunciation, framed through Kāśī’s sanctifying power.