Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14
तेषां ज्योतींषि खेद्यापि राजंते तारकाच्छलात् । प्रतिसौधं पताकाश्च नानाकारा विचित्रिताः
teṣāṃ jyotīṃṣi khedyāpi rājaṃte tārakācchalāt | pratisaudhaṃ patākāśca nānākārā vicitritāḥ
त्या दीपांच्या ज्योती ताऱ्यांच्या बहाण्याने जणू अधिकच शोभून दिसत होत्या; आणि प्रत्येक सौधावर नानाविध, विचित्र अलंकारांनी सजलेल्या पताका उभारल्या गेल्या।
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: A sage
Scene: A panoramic view of Kāśī: countless lamps glitter like stars; every mansion bears ornate, multi-shaped banners; the city appears like a celestial firmament brought to earth.
FAQs
Outer splendor—lights and banners—mirrors inner devotion, making the sacred city itself a visible offering.
Kāśī is implied, depicted as adorned house by house for Śiva’s honor.
No direct prescription; it describes customary festival adornment: lighting and raising banners.