Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4
अधाक्षिपमहं कामं त्रिजगज्जित्त्वरंदृशा । अहो काश्यभिलाषोत्र मामेव दुनुयात्तराम्
adhākṣipamahaṃ kāmaṃ trijagajjittvaraṃdṛśā | aho kāśyabhilāṣotra māmeva dunuyāttarām
ខ្ញុំបានបំបាក់កាមៈ អ្នកឈ្នះលោកទាំងបី ដោយត្រឹមតែសម្លឹងមួយភ្លែត។ តែអូហ៍ ជាអស្ចារ្យណាស់ ក្តីប្រាថ្នាចង់បានកាសីនេះវិញ កាន់តែធ្វើឲ្យខ្ញុំទុក្ខទោមនស្សខ្លាំងឡើង។
Hara (Śiva) (deduced; reference to burning/overpowering Kāma aligns with Śiva)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A dramatic juxtaposition: Shiva’s third-eye glance reducing Kama (or symbol of desire) to submission/ashes, while simultaneously Shiva’s heart is drawn toward a luminous vision of Kashi—ghats, Ganga, and a linga—creating a paradox of conquered desire and sacred longing.
FAQs
Worldly desire can be conquered, yet the ‘desire’ for Kāśī is framed as a higher, sacred yearning—an exalted pull toward liberation and sanctity.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), celebrated as spiritually more compelling than even the forces that sway the three worlds.
No direct prescription; the verse serves as a theological praise of Kāśī’s power to awaken transcendent longing.