Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38
महेश्वर उवाच । अत्रार्थे कथयिष्यामि पुरावृत्तमधोक्षज । शृणुष्वैकमना विष्णो वाहीकस्य द्विजन्मनः
maheśvara uvāca | atrārthe kathayiṣyāmi purāvṛttamadhokṣaja | śṛṇuṣvaikamanā viṣṇo vāhīkasya dvijanmanaḥ
ព្រះមហេស្វរ មានព្រះបន្ទូលថា៖ «ក្នុងករណីនេះ ឱ អធោក្សជ (ព្រះវិષ્ણុ) ខ្ញុំនឹងប្រាប់រឿងរ៉ាវបុរាណមួយ។ ឱ ព្រះវិષ્ણុ សូមស្តាប់ដោយចិត្តមួយគត់ នូវរឿងរបស់ទ្វិជៈឈ្មោះ វាហីក»។
Maheśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual frame)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Adhokṣaja (Viṣṇu)
Scene: Śiva (Maheśvara) begins an ancient tale, addressing Viṣṇu (Adhokṣaja) in a calm, didactic setting—divine council atmosphere, signaling the start of a moral narrative.
FAQs
Sacred history (purāvṛtta) is presented as dharma-instruction; attentive listening is itself a doorway to understanding karma and its results.
The verse sets up a teaching within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa framework, preparing for the wider Kāśī Māhātmya narrative (the glory of Kāśī and its salvific power).
No direct ritual is prescribed here; the immediate discipline emphasized is śravaṇa—focused listening to purāṇic teaching.