Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39
क्षेत्रे त्रिशूलिन्भवतोऽविमुक्ते विमुक्तिलक्ष्म्या न कदापि मुक्ते । मनोपि यः प्राणिवरः प्रयुंक्ते षडंगयोगं स सदैव युंक्ते
kṣetre triśūlinbhavato'vimukte vimuktilakṣmyā na kadāpi mukte | manopi yaḥ prāṇivaraḥ prayuṃkte ṣaḍaṃgayogaṃ sa sadaiva yuṃkte
திரிசூலதாரியே! உமது அவிமுக்தக் க்ஷேத்திரத்தில் முக்தி-லக்ஷ்மி ஒருபோதும் விலகுவதில்லை. அங்கே மனத்தை மட்டும் செலுத்தும் சிறந்த உயிரும் உண்மையில் எப்போதும் ஷடங்க யோகத்தில் இணைந்தவனாகவே இருக்கிறான்.
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Śiva as Triśūlin presiding invisibly over Avimukta; a devotee seated near a liṅga, mind focused; around him, six symbolic emblems representing ṣaḍaṅga-yoga appear as a mandala, indicating that mere mental placement in this field equals constant yoga.
FAQs
Avimukta (Kāśī) is depicted as inherently saturated with liberation; even mental devotion there becomes yogic perfection.
Avimukta-kṣetra—Kāśī, Śiva’s never-abandoned sacred field.
A subtle practice is implied: placing/engaging the mind in Kāśī (manasaḥ prayoga) is itself highly efficacious.