Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64
ज्ञात्वा क्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यं यो वसेत्कृतनिश्चयः । तं तारयति विश्वेशो जीवंतमथवा मृतम्
jñātvā kṣetrasya māhātmyaṃ yo vasetkṛtaniścayaḥ | taṃ tārayati viśveśo jīvaṃtamathavā mṛtam
இந்த க்ஷேத்ரத்தின் மகிமையை அறிந்து உறுதி கொண்டு இங்கு வாழ்பவனை, விஸ்வேஸ்வரன்—உயிருடன் இருந்தாலும் இறந்தாலும்—கரை ஏற்றுவான்।
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī/Avimukta (Viśveśa’s kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis
Scene: A devotee settles in Kāśī with a staff and waterpot, gazing at Viśveśvara’s shrine; above, Viśveśa is depicted as a protective, guiding presence leading the soul across a symbolic river of saṁsāra.
FAQs
Knowing Kāśī’s glory and living there with resolve brings Śiva’s saving grace—liberation is attributed to Viśveśvara.
Kāśī-kṣetra (Vārāṇasī), under Viśveśvara, presented as a mokṣa-bestowing sacred geography.
The prescription is devotional residence (vāsa) in Kāśī with firm niścaya (resolve), grounded in understanding the kṣetra’s māhātmya.