Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19
स्थास्यामि लिंगरूपेण चिंतितार्थफलप्रदः । स्वयंभून्यस्वयंभूनि यानि लिंगानि सर्वतः । तानि सर्वाणि चायांति द्रष्टुं लिंगमिदं सदा
sthāsyāmi liṃgarūpeṇa ciṃtitārthaphalapradaḥ | svayaṃbhūnyasvayaṃbhūni yāni liṃgāni sarvataḥ | tāni sarvāṇi cāyāṃti draṣṭuṃ liṃgamidaṃ sadā
நான் லிங்கரூபமாக நிலைத்திருப்பேன்; மனத்தில் நினைத்த விருப்பங்களுக்கு பலன் அளிப்பவன். எங்கெங்கும் உள்ள சுயம்புவும் பிரதிஷ்டிதமும் ஆகிய எல்லா லிங்கங்களும் எப்போதும் இந்த லிங்கத்தைத் தரிசிக்க வருவது போல ஆகும்.
Śiva (first-person vow to remain as liṅga)
Tirtha: Kāśī-liṅga (supreme liṅga of Avimukta; Viśveśvara paradigm)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devas
Scene: A radiant central liṅga in Kāśī is shown as the supreme manifestation; innumerable liṅgas from all directions—some self-manifest, some consecrated—are poetically depicted as ‘coming to behold’ it, like streams converging into a luminous axis.
FAQs
Śiva’s liṅga-presence in Kāśī is supreme and desire-fulfilling, portrayed as the focus of reverence for all liṅgas.
The central liṅga of Viśveśvara in Kāśī, described as an ever-beheld, paramount liṅga.
Darśana and worship of ‘this liṅga’ are implied as efficacious for attaining desired fruits.