Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55
अल्पीयसा श्रमेणेह वपुषो व्ययमात्रतः । अवश्यं गत्वरस्याशु यथामुक्तिस्तथा क्व हि
alpīyasā śrameṇeha vapuṣo vyayamātrataḥ | avaśyaṃ gatvarasyāśu yathāmuktistathā kva hi
ഇവിടെ അത്യൽപ പരിശ്രമംകൊണ്ട്—വേഗം വിട്ടുപോകേണ്ട ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ത്യാഗമാത്രത്താൽ—ഇത്ര ഉറപ്പോടെയും വേഗത്തോടെയും മോക്ഷം മറ്റെവിടെ ലഭിക്കും?
Narrative voice within the chapter (contextually Viṣṇu’s discourse)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Agnibindu
Scene: A contemplative Kāśī scene at twilight: a pilgrim reflects on impermanence by the Gaṅgā; the city’s sanctity promises swift mokṣa, with subtle divine presence overseeing the ghāṭs.
FAQs
Kāśī is extolled as uniquely granting swift and certain liberation, even through the inevitable event of bodily death.
Kāśī as a mukti-kṣetra, famed for bestowing mokṣa at the end of life.
No detailed rite is stated; the verse emphasizes the salvific power of the place at the time of bodily departure.