Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92
प्रवेशो यमदूतानां न कदाचिद्द्विजोत्तम । मध्ये काशीपुरी क्वापि रक्षिणस्तत्र तद्गणाः
praveśo yamadūtānāṃ na kadāciddvijottama | madhye kāśīpurī kvāpi rakṣiṇastatra tadgaṇāḥ
Ô le meilleur des brāhmanes, jamais, en aucun temps, les messagers de Yama n’entrent au cœur de la cité de Kāśī ; car là, les gaṇa de Śiva se tiennent comme gardiens.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Brāhmaṇa interlocutor (‘dvijoत्तम’)
Scene: At Kāśī’s sacred boundary, fierce yet benevolent Śiva-gaṇas stand guard with tridents and maces; shadowy Yama-dūtas halt outside, unable to cross; the city interior glows with sanctity.
FAQs
Kāśī is depicted as a protected sphere of Śiva where the fear of Yama’s agents is nullified by divine guardianship.
Kāśīpurī (Varanasi), safeguarded by Śiva’s gaṇas.
No direct ritual is stated; the verse reinforces faith in Kāśī-kṣetra as a refuge under Śiva’s protection.