वरं हि तत्काशिरजोति पावनं रजस्तमोध्वंसि शशिप्रभोज्ज्वलम् । कृतप्रणामैर्मणिकर्णिका भुवे ललाटगंयद्बहुमन्यते सुरैः
varaṃ hi tatkāśirajoti pāvanaṃ rajastamodhvaṃsi śaśiprabhojjvalam | kṛtapraṇāmairmaṇikarṇikā bhuve lalāṭagaṃyadbahumanyate suraiḥ
Sungguh mulia debu Kāśī itu—amat menyucikan, memusnahkan rajas dan tamas, berkilau laksana sinar rembulan. Di Maṇikarṇikā di bumi, debu yang naik ke dahi karena sujud penghormatan, sangat dimuliakan bahkan oleh para dewa.
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā
Type: ghat
Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly
Scene: At Maṇikarṇikā ghāṭa, a devotee performs full prostration; luminous dust rises and touches the forehead, depicted as moon-bright, while devas in the sky look on with reverence; the Ganga flows beside the steps.
Even seemingly small contact—Kāśī’s dust—becomes a powerful purifier, symbolizing humility and grace in a sacred kṣetra.
Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī, famed as an exceptionally sanctifying spot.
Praṇāma (prostration) at Maṇikarṇikā is implied, where the Kāśī-dust touches one’s forehead.