Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48
अशोका च विशोका च यथा मलयगंधिनी । यथा चंदननिःश्वासा यथा मृगमदोत्तमा
aśokā ca viśokā ca yathā malayagaṃdhinī | yathā caṃdananiḥśvāsā yathā mṛgamadottamā
അവൾ അശോകാ—ശോകരഹിത—വിശോകാ—ശോകനാശിനി—ആകട്ടെ; മലയയുടെ ചന്ദനഗന്ധംപോലെ സുഗന്ധമയി, ചന്ദനനിശ്വാസംപോലെ മൃദുല, ഉത്തമ കസ്തൂരിപോലെ ശ്രേഷ്ഠയാകട്ടെ।
Śrī Devī (Pārvatī)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Īśvara (implied)
Scene: Devī invokes ‘Aśokā’ and ‘Viśokā’—a serene figure surrounded by sandal fragrance, camphor light, and musk; the imagery is cooling, grief-dispelling, and pure.
FAQs
The ideal sacred companion embodies freedom from sorrow and becomes a source of consolation—virtues are portrayed as healing fragrance.
The verse is within Kāśī’s sacred narrative framework but does not name a particular tirtha.
None in this line.