Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17
नरो न रोगी यदिहाविहाय सहायभूतां सकलस्य जंतोः । काशीमनाशी सुकृतैकराशिमन्यत्र यातुं यततां न चान्यः
naro na rogī yadihāvihāya sahāyabhūtāṃ sakalasya jaṃtoḥ | kāśīmanāśī sukṛtaikarāśimanyatra yātuṃ yatatāṃ na cānyaḥ
Vraiment l’homme est malade si, délaissant ici Kāśī—secours de toute créature, impérissable et unique trésor de mérite—il s’efforce d’aller ailleurs, ailleurs, et nulle part sinon ailleurs.
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: null
Scene: A physician-like sage points to Kāśī as the true medicine; a pilgrim with anxious eyes looks toward distant roads labeled ‘anyatra’, while Kāśī appears as a compassionate goddess-city offering shelter to beings.
FAQs
To abandon Kāśī after reaching it is portrayed as a kind of spiritual illness—rejecting what supports all beings and leads toward liberation.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), called imperishable and universally helpful.
None directly; it is a strong admonition to remain devoted to Kāśī rather than seeking lesser alternatives.