Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42
एतानि यानि प्रोक्तानि काशीप्राप्तिकराणि च । प्राप्य काशीं भवेन्मुक्तो जंतुर्नान्यत्रकुत्रचित्
etāni yāni proktāni kāśīprāptikarāṇi ca | prāpya kāśīṃ bhavenmukto jaṃturnānyatrakutracit
یہ وہ سب طریقے ہیں جنہیں کاشی تک پہنچانے والا کہا گیا ہے؛ کاشی کو پا کر جاندار آزاد ہو جاتا ہے، اور کہیں بھی، کسی مقام پر، ایسا نہیں ہوتا۔
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: Pilgrims approaching Kāśī’s skyline; as they cross an unseen threshold, a subtle liberation motif—chains falling, light rising—signifying ‘prāpya kāśīm bhavenmuktaḥ’.
FAQs
Kāśī is presented as uniquely liberation-bestowing; reaching it consummates the quest for mokṣa.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), the paramount mokṣa-kṣetra in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.
The emphasis is on ‘prāpti’—attaining/reaching Kāśī—rather than a specific rite; earlier-mentioned practices are framed as means to reach Kāśī.