Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86
रागादिदोषपरिपूर मनो हृषीकाः काशीपुरीमतुलदिव्यमहाप्रभावाम् । ये कल्पयंत्यपरतीर्थसमां समंतात्ते पापिनो न सह तैः परिभाषणीयम्
rāgādidoṣaparipūra mano hṛṣīkāḥ kāśīpurīmatuladivyamahāprabhāvām | ye kalpayaṃtyaparatīrthasamāṃ samaṃtātte pāpino na saha taiḥ paribhāṣaṇīyam
Aqueles cuja mente e sentidos estão repletos de falhas como o apego e a paixão, e que por toda parte imaginam que a cidade de Kāśī—de incomparável e divina grande potência—é apenas igual a outros tīrthas, esses são pecadores; nem sequer se deve conversar com eles.
Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pilgrims/seekers within Kāśī-māhātmya discourse
Scene: Two groups at Kāśī: reverent pilgrims offering water and prayers, and a skeptical, sense-driven group gesturing dismissively; a sage turns away, indicating ‘do not converse’ with those who belittle the kṣetra.
FAQs
Do not diminish the unique sanctity of Kāśī by equating it with ordinary tīrthas; reverence for sacred geography is part of Purāṇic dharma.
Kāśīpurī—Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)—is praised as possessing incomparable, divine, great spiritual power.
No specific rite (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed here; the instruction is ethical: avoid association and even conversation with those who disparage Kāśī’s greatness.