Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47
वरं हि काश्यां तृणवृक्षगुल्मकाश्चरंति पापं न चरंति नान्यतः । वयं चराणां प्रथमा धिगस्तु नो वाराणसींहाद्य विहाय गच्छतः
varaṃ hi kāśyāṃ tṛṇavṛkṣagulmakāścaraṃti pāpaṃ na caraṃti nānyataḥ | vayaṃ carāṇāṃ prathamā dhigastu no vārāṇasīṃhādya vihāya gacchataḥ
କାଶୀର ତୃଣ, ବୃକ୍ଷ ଓ ଗୁଲ୍ମମାନେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଧନ୍ୟ—ସେମାନେ ସେଠିଏ ରହି ସେଠିଏ ଚରନ୍ତି, ଅନ୍ୟତ୍ର ଯାଆନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ। କିନ୍ତୁ ଆମେ ତ ଭ୍ରମଣକାରୀମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଗ୍ରଣୀ; ଧିକ୍ ଆମକୁ—ଆଜି ବାରାଣସୀ ଛାଡ଼ି ଯାଉଛୁ।
Agastya (deduced from surrounding lament and departure sequence)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and sages
Scene: A pilgrim-sage at Kāśī’s edge looks back with tears, comparing himself unfavorably to grasses and trees that remain rooted in the holy city; the city’s skyline and ghats glow behind.
FAQs
Kāśī is so spiritually supreme that even remaining there is itself a blessing; abandoning it is portrayed as a painful loss.
Vārāṇasī (Kāśī), praised as the unsurpassed sacred city.
No explicit ritual; the implied counsel is vāsa (dwelling) in Kāśī as a potent spiritual practice.