Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 116
अलभ्यलाभो देवस्य जातोत्र हि यतः परः । ततः काशी प्रवेशाख्यं जप्यमाख्यानमुत्तमम्
alabhyalābho devasya jātotra hi yataḥ paraḥ | tataḥ kāśī praveśākhyaṃ japyamākhyānamuttamam
เพราะนับแต่จุดนั้นเป็นต้นมา พระผู้เป็นเจ้าทรงบรรลุสิ่งที่โดยปกติยากจะได้ในโลกนี้; ฉะนั้นอาขยานศักดิ์สิทธิ์สูงสุดที่เรียกว่า “การเสด็จเข้าสู่กาศี” พึงสาธยายเป็นชปะ (สวดซ้ำด้วยภักติ)
Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue frame)
Tirtha: Kāśī-praveśa (Entering Kāśī)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pilgrim/reader; within Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame, Agastya is the principal listener in the ensuing section
Scene: A pilgrim at the threshold of Kāśī recites a palm-leaf text titled ‘Kāśī-praveśa’; above, Śiva’s presence is suggested as a luminous, moon-crested form blessing the act of recitation; the city’s ghāṭs and spires appear in the distance as a sacred horizon.
FAQs
Kāśī is portrayed as a uniquely salvific sacred realm where even the “unattainable” becomes attainable through devotion and remembrance.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised through the theme of “Kāśī-praveśa” (entering the holy city).
The narrative titled “Kāśī-praveśa” is prescribed to be recited repeatedly as japa (devotional repetition).