Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58
सर्वत्र ते प्रवेशोस्ति त्यक्त्वा वाराणसीं पुरीम् । नियोज्यतामिति शिवोप्यंतर्धानं गतस्ततः
sarvatra te praveśosti tyaktvā vārāṇasīṃ purīm | niyojyatāmiti śivopyaṃtardhānaṃ gatastataḥ
«Em toda parte tens entrada, exceto na cidade de Vārāṇasī; sê assim designada.» Tendo dito isso, Śiva então desapareceu da vista.
Skanda (quoting Śiva, to Agastya)
Tirtha: Vārāṇasī / Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame assumed; not explicit)
Scene: Śiva declares: 'Everywhere you may enter, except Vārāṇasī.' After issuing the directive, Śiva disappears (antaradhāna).
FAQs
The verse asserts Kāśī’s incomparable sanctity: certain defilements are barred by Śiva’s decree.
Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) is explicitly glorified as a city beyond ordinary spiritual contamination.
No ritual is prescribed; it is a theological boundary-statement about the kṣetra.