Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23
ते प्रवेशं प्रयच्छंति नान्येषां हि कदाचन । इत्यर्थे कथयिष्येऽहमितिहासं पुरातनम् । आश्चर्यकारिपरमं काशीभक्तिप्रवर्धनम्
te praveśaṃ prayacchaṃti nānyeṣāṃ hi kadācana | ityarthe kathayiṣye'hamitihāsaṃ purātanam | āścaryakāriparamaṃ kāśībhaktipravardhanam
അവർ പ്രവേശം നൽകുന്നു; മറ്റുള്ളവർക്ക് ഒരിക്കലുമല്ല. ഈ അർത്ഥം വ്യക്തമാക്കാൻ ഞാൻ ഒരു പുരാതന ഇതിഹാസം പറയാം—പരമാശ്ചര്യകരം, കാശീഭക്തി വർധിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്।
Skanda (contextual, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A narrator prepares to unfold an ancient wondrous tale: a sage-like figure addressing attentive listeners, with Kāśī’s skyline—temple spires and the Gaṅgā—evoked in the background, suggesting that the story itself is a gateway to devotion.
FAQs
True entry into the liberating kṣetra is not merely physical—it is governed by worthiness, guardianship, and grace that deepen bhakti.
Kāśī-kṣetra as a whole, presented as a place whose very stories intensify devotion.
None; the verse introduces an exemplary sacred narrative (itihāsa) as a devotional and instructive means.