Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48
निवसंति मम क्षेत्रे मम भक्तिं न कुर्वते । मम लिंगधरा ये नो न तानुपदिशाम्यहम्
nivasaṃti mama kṣetre mama bhaktiṃ na kurvate | mama liṃgadharā ye no na tānupadiśāmyaham
എന്നാൽ എന്റെ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ വസിച്ചിട്ടും എന്നോടുള്ള ഭക്തി ആചരിക്കാത്തവർ—എന്റെ ലിംഗം ധരിച്ചാലും—അവർക്കു ഞാൻ ഉപദേശം നൽകുകയില്ല.
Śiva (Hara/Bhava)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pārvatī / Skanda Purāṇa audience
Scene: Two figures in Kāśī: one wears a liṅga but is indifferent, turned away from worship; another, humble and devoted, lights a lamp. Śiva’s gaze and blessing fall on the devoted, while the indifferent remains outside the circle of instruction.
FAQs
Sacred place and external symbols are not enough; inner devotion is the true qualification for Śiva’s guidance and grace.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), presented as Śiva’s own kṣetra where authentic bhakti is paramount.
The verse implicitly critiques empty ritualism; it prescribes sincere bhakti alongside any Śaiva observance such as liṅga-dhāraṇa.