Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74
पाताले तस्य देहोस्ति मुंडं काश्यां व्यवस्थितम । अतः स गीयते काश्यां देवो मुंडविनायकः
pātāle tasya dehosti muṃḍaṃ kāśyāṃ vyavasthitama | ataḥ sa gīyate kāśyāṃ devo muṃḍavināyakaḥ
ಅವನ ದೇಹ ಪಾತಾಳದಲ್ಲಿದೆ ಎಂದು, ಅವನ ‘ಮುಂಡ’ (ಶಿರಸ್ಸು) ಕಾಶಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಿತವಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಕಾಶಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅವನು ‘ಮುಂಡ-ವಿನಾಯಕ’ ದೇವನೆಂದು ಕೀರ್ತಿಸಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ.
Skanda
Tirtha: Muṇḍa-Vināyaka
Type: temple
Scene: A split-realm depiction: subterranean Pātāla holding the unseen body of Gaṇeśa, while in Kāśī the ‘head’ (muṇḍa) is enshrined and worshipped; the two realms connected by a luminous axis.
FAQs
Kāśī uniquely anchors divine presence; even cosmic or subterranean realities are linked to her sacred installations.
Muṇḍa-Vināyaka’s shrine/locus in Kāśī, explained through its mythic connection to Pātāla.
No explicit rite is stated here; the verse provides the name-etymology and sacred status supporting worship.