Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12
काशीद्विजाशीर्भिरहो यदाप्ता कस्तां मुमुक्षुर्यदिवामुमुक्षुः । ग्रासं करस्थं स विसृज्य हृद्यं स्वकूर्परं लेढि विमूढचेताः
kāśīdvijāśīrbhiraho yadāptā kastāṃ mumukṣuryadivāmumukṣuḥ | grāsaṃ karasthaṃ sa visṛjya hṛdyaṃ svakūrparaṃ leḍhi vimūḍhacetāḥ
Ah! Kāśī yang diperoleh berkat restu para brahmana Kāśī—siapa, baik pencari mokṣa maupun bukan, akan meninggalkannya? Hanya batin yang terkelabui yang melepaskan suapan manis di tangan lalu menjilat sikunya sendiri.
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A didactic scene: a wise speaker extols Kāśī while illustrating the proverb—one hand holds a sweet morsel; the other person absurdly tries to lick their elbow, showing delusion.
FAQs
To abandon a rare, merit-bestowing opportunity like residence in Kāśī is spiritual folly—like rejecting what is already attainable.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), revered as a liberation-giving sacred city.
None directly; the verse emphasizes the value of attaining Kāśī through puṇya and saintly blessings.