Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45
त्वं परासि महादेवि त्वं च देवि परापरा । परापराणां परमा परमात्मस्वरूपिणी
tvaṃ parāsi mahādevi tvaṃ ca devi parāparā | parāparāṇāṃ paramā paramātmasvarūpiṇī
മഹാദേവീ, നീ പരാ (പരമ) ആകുന്നു; ദേവീ, നീ പരാപരാ—പരവും അപരവും ഇരണ്ടിനും അതീത. പരാ-അപര എല്ലാറ്റിലും നീ തന്നേ പരമ, പരമാത്മസ്വരൂപിണി.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: Devī depicted as a serene, almost formless radiance above Kāśī’s skyline; beneath, dualities (high/low, light/dark) appear as dissolving pairs, merging into a single white-gold field labeled ‘Paramātmā’.
FAQs
Devī is identified with the ultimate reality itself—beyond categories—worthy of the highest refuge and contemplation.
Kāśī is the textual setting; the verse supports the Mahātmya’s claim that Kāśī is sanctified by the presence of the Supreme.
No direct ritual instruction appears; it is doctrinal praise used for prayer, japa, and meditation.