Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 94
तत्र पापं न कर्तव्यं दारुणा रुद्रयातना । अहो रुद्रपिशाचत्वं नरकेभ्योपि दुःसहम्
tatra pāpaṃ na kartavyaṃ dāruṇā rudrayātanā | aho rudrapiśācatvaṃ narakebhyopi duḥsaham
അതുകൊണ്ട് ആ പുണ്യസ്ഥാനത്ത് പാപം ചെയ്യരുത്; രുദ്രന്റെ ശിക്ഷ അത്യന്തം ദാരുണമാണ്. സത്യമായി ‘രുദ്ര-പിശാചത്വം’ നരകങ്ങളേക്കാളും അസഹ്യമാണ്.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A solemn admonition: the holy city’s radiance contrasts with the terrifying vision of Rudra’s chastisement—shadowy forms of rudra-piśācas and the dread of suffering beyond ordinary hells, urging pilgrims to keep the kṣetra pure.
FAQs
Kāśī demands heightened moral discipline; sin there invites severe spiritual consequences.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), portrayed as a sacred jurisdiction where divine law is intensely operative.
A negative injunction is given: avoid pāpa (sin) while residing in or approaching Kāśī.