Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51
प्राहागच्छ नयामि त्वां यियासुरहमप्यहो । दुर्लभं प्राप्य मानुष्यं यदि काशी न सेविता
prāhāgaccha nayāmi tvāṃ yiyāsurahamapyaho | durlabhaṃ prāpya mānuṣyaṃ yadi kāśī na sevitā
അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“വാ, ഞാൻ നിന്നെ കൊണ്ടുപോകാം; എനിക്കും പോകുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹമുണ്ട്. അയ്യോ! ദുർലഭമായ മനുഷ്യജന്മം ലഭിച്ചിട്ടും കാശിയെ സേവിച്ചു ദർശിക്കാതിരുന്നാൽ അതു മഹാനഷ്ടം.”
Tapasvī (ascetic guide)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Primary interlocutor within Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame (traditionally Śaunaka/ṛṣi-assembly in Purāṇic setting; specific not stated in verse)
Scene: A compassionate guide-sage invites the seeker to set out for Kāśī, emphasizing the rarity of human birth; the road to the luminous city is implied.
FAQs
Human birth is rare and should be fulfilled through engagement with liberating sacred spaces—Kāśī is presented as a foremost choice.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), to be ‘served’ through pilgrimage, devotion, and reverent living.
No single ritual is named; the prescription is Kāśī-sevā—devotional resort to Kāśī (pilgrimage/residence/worship).