Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59
शृणुष्व विष्णो शृणु सृष्टिकर्तः शृण्वंतु देवर्षिगणाः समस्ताः । इदं हि लिंगं परसिद्धिदं सतां भेदो मनागत्र न मत्सकाशतः
śṛṇuṣva viṣṇo śṛṇu sṛṣṭikartaḥ śṛṇvaṃtu devarṣigaṇāḥ samastāḥ | idaṃ hi liṃgaṃ parasiddhidaṃ satāṃ bhedo manāgatra na matsakāśataḥ
Dengarlah, wahai Viṣṇu; dengarlah, wahai Pencipta—biarlah seluruh kumpulan dewa-ṛṣi mendengar. Sesungguhnya Liṅga ini menganugerahkan kesempurnaan tertinggi kepada orang yang saleh; di sini tiada bezanya walau sedikit pun daripada kehadiran-Ku sendiri.
Śiva (contextual, addressing Viṣṇu and Brahmā)
Tirtha: Viśveśvara Liṅga (Kāśī)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and assembled devarṣis
Scene: Śiva proclaims before Viṣṇu, Brahmā, and assembled devarṣis that the Kāśī Liṅga grants supreme perfection and is non-different from Him; a cosmic court-like assembly with the Liṅga as the radiant center.
FAQs
The Liṅga is affirmed as a direct locus of Śiva’s presence and a bestower of the highest spiritual attainment.
The sacred Liṅga of Kāśī (in the Viśveśvara-centered Mahātmya context).
No specific rite is detailed; the verse functions as a proclamation validating Liṅga worship as equal to worship of Śiva Himself.