Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82
त्वं जातवेदसि सदा दह्नात्मशक्तिर्वेधास्त्वया जगदिदं विविधं विदध्यात् । विश्वंभरोपि बिभृयादखिलं भवत्या लक्ष्मि प्रसीद सततं नमतां शरण्ये
tvaṃ jātavedasi sadā dahnātmaśaktirvedhāstvayā jagadidaṃ vividhaṃ vidadhyāt | viśvaṃbharopi bibhṛyādakhilaṃ bhavatyā lakṣmi prasīda satataṃ namatāṃ śaraṇye
तूच स्वयं जातवेद (सर्वज्ञ अग्नी) आहेस—अग्नीची आत्मशक्ती तूच सदैव। तुझ्यामुळेच वेधा (ब्रह्मा) हे विविध जग निर्माण करतो; तुझ्यामुळेच विश्वंभर (विष्णू) सर्वांना धारण करतो। हे लक्ष्मी, नम्र होणाऱ्यांची शरण, सदैव प्रसन्न हो।
Agastya (stuti, contextually in Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative)
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: Lakṣmī visualized as the inner flame-power: Agni altar blazing, with Lakṣmī’s golden presence emerging from fire; Brahmā creating and Viṣṇu sustaining in the background, both empowered by her radiance.
FAQs
Divine prosperity is not merely wealth but the very śakti enabling creation and preservation; honoring her aligns one with cosmic order (dharma).
The hymn belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa milieu, linking devotional praise to the merit (puṇya) of Kāśī’s sacred landscape.
No direct prescription; the verse supports stuti and śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) as devotional discipline.