Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23
न गौरी न महालक्ष्मीश्चित्रेपि परिलेखिते । प्रतिमाकरणे चैषां न कुरूपो न दुर्भगः
na gaurī na mahālakṣmīścitrepi parilekhite | pratimākaraṇe caiṣāṃ na kurūpo na durbhagaḥ
ខ្ញុំមិនបានឲ្យគូររូបព្រះគោរី ឬព្រះមហាលក្ខ្មី សូម្បីតែក្នុងគំនូរឡើយ។ ហើយការធ្វើប្រតិមារបស់ព្រះនាងទាំងពីរ មិនធ្វើឲ្យមនុស្សក្លាយជាអាក្រក់រូបរាងទេ ហើយក៏មិនធ្វើឲ្យក្លាយជាអភ័ព្វដែរ។
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Devī-auspiciousness within the city)
Type: kshetra
Scene: An artisan prepares pigments and a cloth panel; faint outlines of Gaurī and Mahālakṣmī appear. The devotee stands aside, realizing he never sponsored even a painting of the Devīs.
FAQs
Honoring the Divine Feminine through sacred art and icons is auspicious and protective, dispelling misfortune rather than causing harm.
The verse sits within Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī milieu, though it speaks generally about Devi depiction and icon-making.
Creating or commissioning paintings and images (citra, pratimā) of Gaurī and Mahālakṣmī for worship.