Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11
कीर्तिरुच्चैःश्रवा यस्य सर्वतो वाजिराजिषु । रत्नमुच्चैःश्रवाः सोत्र हयानां पौरुषाधिकः
kīrtiruccaiḥśravā yasya sarvato vājirājiṣu | ratnamuccaiḥśravāḥ sotra hayānāṃ pauruṣādhikaḥ
त्याची कीर्ती सर्वत्र वाजिराजांमध्ये उच्चैःश्रव्यासारखी उंच गाजते; आणि येथे उच्चैःश्रवा स्वतः अश्वरत्न होऊन पराक्रमात सर्व घोड्यांहून श्रेष्ठ शोभतो।
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pilgrimage-seeking interlocutor (traditional frame)
Scene: A radiant white Uccaiḥśravā appears on Kāśī’s riverside, mane like moonlight; kings’ horses bow in comparison; above, a banner of ‘kīrti’ unfurls like a luminous script across the sky; ghats and temples anchor the myth in place.
FAQs
True glory is measured by divine excellence; the sacred realm is portrayed as containing the highest archetypes of perfection.
Kāśī is exalted through comparison with (and presence of) celestial ‘ratnas’ like Uccaiḥśravā.
No ritual instruction is given; it is a praise-verse (māhātmya) using iconic Purāṇic symbols.