Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95
हाटकेशो महाकालस्तारके शस्तथैव च । एकलिंगं त्रिधा भूत्वा त्रिलोकीं व्याप्य संस्थितम्
hāṭakeśo mahākālastārake śastathaiva ca | ekaliṃgaṃ tridhā bhūtvā trilokīṃ vyāpya saṃsthitam
ഹാടകേശൻ, മഹാകാലൻ, അതുപോലെ താരകേശൻ—ഒരേയൊരു ലിംഗം ത്രിവിധമായി ത്രിലോകം മുഴുവൻ വ്യാപിച്ച് പ്രതിഷ്ഠിതമായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśī-khaṇḍa discourse, often Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Hāṭakeśa–Mahākāla–Tārakeśa (triad within Kāśī)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A single radiant liṅga divides into three—Hāṭakeśa, Mahākāla, and Tārakeśa—each enthroned in Kāśī, while a subtle aura expands to fill the three worlds (earth, mid-space, heaven).
FAQs
The one Supreme Śiva can manifest in multiple forms for the welfare of the worlds while remaining essentially one.
The Mahākāla sphere (Avantī/Ujjayinī), highlighting named liṅga-forms present in the kṣetra.
None stated; the verse supports multi-form liṅga worship within the kṣetra.