Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57
एनांसि तांश्च बाधंते ये न काशीं समाश्रिताः । काशीसमाश्रिता यैश्च यैश्च विश्वेश्वरोर्चितः । तारकं ज्ञानमासाद्य ते मुक्ताः कर्मपाशतः
enāṃsi tāṃśca bādhaṃte ye na kāśīṃ samāśritāḥ | kāśīsamāśritā yaiśca yaiśca viśveśvarorcitaḥ | tārakaṃ jñānamāsādya te muktāḥ karmapāśataḥ
บาปย่อมทรมานผู้ที่มิได้พึ่งกาศี แต่ผู้ที่พำนักในกาศีและบูชาพระวิศเวศวร—ครั้นบรรลุญาณ ‘ตารกะ’ อันยังความหลุดพ้น—ย่อมพ้นจากบ่วงกรรม
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context often Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Viśveśvara in Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Sages/seekers
Scene: Inside Viśveśvara’s sanctum: devotees offer bilva and water; a radiant syllabic ‘tāraka’ light (mantra/jñāna) descends like a thread cutting dark chains labeled ‘karma’; outside, personified sins flee from Kāśī’s boundary.
FAQs
Kāśī is presented as a mokṣa-kṣetra: residence there combined with Viśveśvara worship culminates in liberating knowledge that cuts karmic bondage.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), specifically in relation to Viśveśvara (Śiva) and the tradition of Tāraka-jñāna.
Worship (arcana) of Viśveśvara and taking refuge/residence in Kāśī are highlighted as the spiritual disciplines leading to liberation.