Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12
मृदु हस्ततलेनैव यावत्खनति वै मुनिः । तावच्छ्रीफलमात्रं हि लिंगं तेन समीक्षितम्
mṛdu hastatalenaiva yāvatkhanati vai muniḥ | tāvacchrīphalamātraṃ hi liṃgaṃ tena samīkṣitam
Nang marahang maghukay ang pantas gamit ang palad ng kanyang kamay, di naglaon ay nasilayan niya ang isang liṅga na kasinlaki lamang ng bungang bilva.
Skanda (narration; deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame)
Tirtha: Gupta-liṅga (bilva-phala-mātra) in Kāśī (as revealed)
Type: kshetra
Listener: null
Scene: The sage kneels and gently scrapes earth with his palm; a small liṅga, bilva-fruit sized, emerges from the soil, faintly luminous; the ant remains nearby as witness.
FAQs
Divinity can be present in subtle, hidden forms; humility and gentleness unveil sacred reality.
The narrative points toward Ānandakānana within Kāśī, where a liṅga is discovered.
The act described is not a ritual but a reverent uncovering that leads into worship of the liṅga.