Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25
इति तिष्ठति पिंगाक्षे साटवी नगरायिता । अध्वनीने ऽध्वगान्कोपि न रुणद्धि ससाध्वसः
iti tiṣṭhati piṃgākṣe sāṭavī nagarāyitā | adhvanīne 'dhvagānkopi na ruṇaddhi sasādhvasaḥ
ഇങ്ങനെ, ഹേ പിംഗാക്ഷ, ആ അരണ്യം നഗരത്തെപ്പോലെ ആയി. ആ പാതയിൽ ആരും യാത്രക്കാരെ തടഞ്ഞില്ല; ആരും ഭയത്തോടെ നിലകൊണ്ടുമില്ല.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Āviṃdhyāṭavī (route-kshetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Piṅgākṣa (vocative)
Scene: A once-dark forest now shows lamps, shelters, and orderly movement like a town; travelers walk unimpeded on a broad road; the atmosphere is calm and fearless.
FAQs
When dharma protects the vulnerable, even wilderness turns into a ‘city’—a symbol of safety and civilization.
The Kāśī pilgrimage landscape is implied, especially the routes and forests connected to tīrtha-travel.
None explicitly; the verse praises social dharma—ensuring safe passage for pilgrims.