Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11
शीतरश्मिः शिरःस्थोपि वर्षन्पीयूषसीकरैः । काशीविश्लेषजं तापं नाहो गमयितुं प्रभुः
śītaraśmiḥ śiraḥsthopi varṣanpīyūṣasīkaraiḥ | kāśīviśleṣajaṃ tāpaṃ nāho gamayituṃ prabhuḥ
Bahkan Śītaraśmi, Sang Bulan berjuraian sinar sejuk, meski bertakhta di atas kepalaku dan menitis titisan amerta, tetap—aduhai—tidak mampu melenyapkan bahang yang lahir daripada perpisahan dengan Kāśī.
Śiva (Śrīkaṇṭha)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (frame)
Scene: Śiva with the crescent Moon in his matted hair; the Moon showers amṛta-like droplets, yet Śiva’s chest glows with the heat of Kāśī-viraha, showing paradox: nectar cannot cool this longing.
FAQs
Kāśī is depicted as the supreme solace; without it, even cooling divine supports cannot relieve inner burning.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), whose absence produces an incomparable ‘tāpa’ (burning).
None; the verse is devotional-poetic glorification of Kāśī.