Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93
पुनराह मुने जाने तव हृत्तापकारणम् । सचेतनं दुनोत्येव काशीविश्लेषजोऽनलः
punarāha mune jāne tava hṛttāpakāraṇam | sacetanaṃ dunotyeva kāśīviśleṣajo'nalaḥ
फिर उसने कहा—हे मुनि, मैं तुम्हारे हृदय-ताप का कारण जानती हूँ। काशी-वियोग से उत्पन्न अग्नि सचेत और धैर्यवान को भी निश्चय ही पीड़ित करती है।
Śrī (Haripriyā; Lakṣmī), speaking within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative context
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and sages
Scene: A compassionate woman speaks to a sage, pointing to his heart as if indicating an inner flame; behind them, a faint vision of Kāśī’s ghāṭas appears like a mirage, intensifying the theme of separation.
FAQs
Kāśī is depicted as a spiritual refuge; distance from it symbolizes loss of sacred support, producing intense inner distress.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) itself is glorified as so potent that separation from it is described as a consuming fire.
No direct ritual is stated; the verse motivates returning to Kāśī or maintaining devotional connection to it.