Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 88
न जानीमो वयं नाथ त्वत्प्रतापभयार्दितः । कुसृत्याथ कया विद्वान्नष्टो वैश्वानरः पुरात्
na jānīmo vayaṃ nātha tvatpratāpabhayārditaḥ | kusṛtyātha kayā vidvānnaṣṭo vaiśvānaraḥ purāt
Nous ne le savons pas, ô Seigneur ; accablés par la crainte de ta majesté, nous ne pouvons dire par quelle voie fautive ni pour quelle cause le sage Vaiśvānara, le Feu sacré, a jadis disparu de la cité.
Pākaśālā-adhikāriṇaḥ (kitchen officials) to the King
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Officials, trembling, confess ignorance: the sacred fire—personified as wise Vaiśvānara—has mysteriously vanished from the city. The king’s presence feels formidable; the hall is tense.
FAQs
When sacred order is disturbed (symbolized by Agni’s disappearance), one should seek causes with humility rather than concealment or blame.
The broader setting is Kāśī, where ritual fire signifies dharma; no specific tīrtha is named in this verse.
Implicitly, the concern is the continuity of cooking/offerings dependent on Agni; no explicit rite is prescribed in this line.