Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86
आलस्येनापि यो यायाद्गृहाद्विश्वेश्वरालयम् । अश्वमेधाधिको धर्मस्तस्य स्याच्च पदेपदे
ālasyenāpi yo yāyādgṛhādviśveśvarālayam | aśvamedhādhiko dharmastasya syācca padepade
சோம்பலினால்கூட ஒருவர் வீட்டிலிருந்து விஶ்வேஸ்வர ஆலயத்திற்குச் சென்றால், அவனுக்கு ஒவ்வொரு அடியிலும் அஸ்வமேத யாகத்தினும் மேம்பட்ட தர்மப் பலன் உண்டாகும்।
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Viśveśvara (Viśvanātha) darśana in Kāśī
Type: temple
Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣi interlocutors, contextual)
Scene: A devotee leaving home reluctantly, yet the street itself becomes a sacred path; each footprint blossoms into lotuses of light leading to the towering Viśveśvara shrine, with bells and lamps welcoming him.
FAQs
In Kāśī, even a simple, imperfectly motivated movement toward Śiva yields immense merit due to the power of the kṣetra.
Viśveśvara’s temple/abode in Kāśī, the central Śaiva sanctuary of Vārāṇasī.
Going from one’s home to Viśveśvara’s shrine (a basic pilgrimage act), with merit accruing step by step.