Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1
अगस्त्य उवाच । सर्वज्ञसूनो षड्वक्त्र सर्वार्थकुशल प्रभो । प्रादुर्भावं निशम्यैषां लिंगानां मुक्तिदायिनाम्
agastya uvāca | sarvajñasūno ṣaḍvaktra sarvārthakuśala prabho | prādurbhāvaṃ niśamyaiṣāṃ liṃgānāṃ muktidāyinām
अगस्त्य बोले—हे सर्वज्ञ के पुत्र, हे षड्वक्त्र प्रभो, हे समस्त प्रयोजनों में कुशल! इन मुक्तिदायक लिंगों के प्रादुर्भाव का वृत्तांत सुनकर (मैं और जानना चाहता हूँ)।
Agastya
Tirtha: Mukti-dāyin liṅgas of Kāśī (topic-introduction)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Skanda/Kumāra (Ṣaḍvaktra)
Scene: Sage Agastya, hands folded, addresses Skanda (six-faced) in a hermitage-like setting; the atmosphere is inquisitive and reverent, with symbolic liṅgas or a map-like depiction of Kāśī’s sacred points behind.
FAQs
The seeker approaches a competent teacher with humility; inquiry (praśna) after hearing sacred lore deepens understanding of liberation.
The Kāśī context continues—liṅgas within Kāśī celebrated as mukti-dāyaka (liberation-bestowing).
No ritual; it models śravaṇa (hearing) followed by praśna (reverent inquiry).