Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78
अकामिता त्वनौद्धत्यमरागित्वमहिंसनम् । अप्रतिग्रहवृत्तिश्च मतिश्चानुग्रहात्मिका
akāmitā tvanauddhatyamarāgitvamahiṃsanam | apratigrahavṛttiśca matiścānugrahātmikā
Absence de désir égoïste, absence d’orgueil, détachement, non-violence, conduite qui n’accepte pas de dons indus, et esprit porté vers la compassion et la bienveillance—telles sont les qualités louées chez celui qui sert Kāśī.
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī (seva through virtues)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A serene Kāśī devotee declines an improper gift, offers help to the needy, feeds animals gently, and walks past bustling markets without attachment; the Gaṅgā and temple spires frame the scene, emphasizing detachment amid sacred city life.
FAQs
The greatness of Kāśī is approached through inner refinement—desirelessness, humility, non-violence, integrity, and compassion.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is the contextual sacred place whose service is tied to elevated ethical and devotional qualities.
It prescribes ethical restraints and virtues—ahiṃsā, detachment, non-arrogance, and apratigraha—rather than a specific external rite.