Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23
नेत्रानंदकरीं दृष्ट्वा शिवशर्माऽथ तां पुरीम् । पप्रच्छाचार्यवर्यस्य कस्येयं पूरनुत्तमा
netrānaṃdakarīṃ dṛṣṭvā śivaśarmā'tha tāṃ purīm | papracchācāryavaryasya kasyeyaṃ pūranuttamā
കണ്ണുകൾക്ക് ആനന്ദം നൽകുന്ന ആ നഗരിയെ കണ്ട ശിവശർമ അപ്പോൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠ ആചാര്യനോട് ചോദിച്ചു—“ഈ അനുത്തമ പുരി ആരുടേതാണ്?”
Agastya (narrating); direct speech by Śivaśarmā
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: Śivaśarmā, struck by the beauty of Kāśī, turns toward the venerable teacher and asks whose city it is; the city glows in the background.
FAQs
A true seeker, upon encountering sacred space, inquires into its divine ownership and spiritual identity.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), introduced as an unsurpassed city that gives immediate delight and auspiciousness.
No ritual is stated; the verse sets up inquiry that will lead to the city’s māhātmya.