Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19
अत्रत्यः प्राणिमात्रोपि रक्षणीयः प्रयत्नतः । एकस्मिन्रक्षिते जंतावत्र काश्यां प्रयत्नतः । त्रैलोक्यरक्षणात्पुण्यं यत्स्यात्तत्स्यान्न संशयः
atratyaḥ prāṇimātropi rakṣaṇīyaḥ prayatnataḥ | ekasminrakṣite jaṃtāvatra kāśyāṃ prayatnataḥ | trailokyarakṣaṇātpuṇyaṃ yatsyāttatsyānna saṃśayaḥ
ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಶಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅತಿ ಸಣ್ಣ ಪ್ರಾಣಿಯನ್ನೂ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನದಿಂದ ರಕ್ಷಿಸಬೇಕು. ಕಾಶಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಷ್ಠೆಯಿಂದ ಒಂದೇ ಜೀವಿಯನ್ನು ಕಾಪಾಡಿದರೂ ದೊರೆಯುವ ಪುಣ್ಯವು ತ್ರಿಲೋಕ ರಕ್ಷಣೆಯಿಂದ ಉಂಟಾಗುವ ಪುಣ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಸಮ—ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಶಯವಿಲ್ಲ।
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī gently rescues a small creature near a ghat, with Viśveśvara’s presence implied; the city’s temples and Gaṅgā frame the act of compassion as cosmic-scale protection.
FAQs
Compassionate protection of life in Kāśī is presented as an exceptionally powerful dharma, yielding vast merit.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is glorified as a uniquely merit-multiplying sacred field (kṣetra).
No specific rite is prescribed; the instruction is ethical-dharmic: protect living beings diligently while in Kāśī.