Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24
गणावूचतुः । सखे सुखं समाख्यावो नानाख्येयं तवाग्रतः । अध्वखेदापनोदाय पुनरस्याः पुरः कथाम्
gaṇāvūcatuḥ | sakhe sukhaṃ samākhyāvo nānākhyeyaṃ tavāgrataḥ | adhvakhedāpanodāya punarasyāḥ puraḥ kathām
ഗണങ്ങൾ പറഞ്ഞു—“സഖേ, പറയേണ്ടതെല്ലാം നിന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ സന്തോഷത്തോടെ ഞങ്ങൾ പറയും. യാത്രാക്ലേശം അകറ്റാൻ ഈ പുരിയുടെ കഥ വീണ്ടും കേൾക്കുക—ഞങ്ങൾ പറയുന്നതുപോലെ.”
Śiva’s Gaṇas
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śivaśarmā (addressed as ‘sakhā’)
Scene: The gaṇas speak warmly to their companion, offering to retell Kāśī’s story as the group pauses from travel; a path with dust, resting posture, city in near distance.
FAQs
Sacred narration (kathā) itself is restorative—removing fatigue and strengthening devotion.
Kāśī, whose māhātmya is about to be narrated by Śiva’s attendants.
No formal ritual; the implied practice is śravaṇa (listening) to the city’s māhātmya.