Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42
एतानि यानि प्रोक्तानि काशीप्राप्तिकराणि च । प्राप्य काशीं भवेन्मुक्तो जंतुर्नान्यत्रकुत्रचित्
etāni yāni proktāni kāśīprāptikarāṇi ca | prāpya kāśīṃ bhavenmukto jaṃturnānyatrakutracit
ಕಾಶೀಪ್ರಾಪ್ತಿಕರವೆಂದು ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ ಈ ಎಲ್ಲ ಸಾಧನಗಳಿಂದ ಕಾಶಿಯನ್ನು ಪಡೆದರೆ ಜೀವನು ಮುಕ್ತನಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಬೇರೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿಯೂ, ಯಾವ ಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲಿಯೂ, ಹಾಗಿಲ್ಲ।
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: Pilgrims approaching Kāśī’s skyline; as they cross an unseen threshold, a subtle liberation motif—chains falling, light rising—signifying ‘prāpya kāśīm bhavenmuktaḥ’.
FAQs
Kāśī is presented as uniquely liberation-bestowing; reaching it consummates the quest for mokṣa.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), the paramount mokṣa-kṣetra in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.
The emphasis is on ‘prāpti’—attaining/reaching Kāśī—rather than a specific rite; earlier-mentioned practices are framed as means to reach Kāśī.