Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 27
पुण्यवानितरो वापि मम क्षेत्रस्य सेवया । मुक्तो भवति देवेशि नात्र कार्या विचारणा
puṇyavānitaro vāpi mama kṣetrasya sevayā | mukto bhavati deveśi nātra kāryā vicāraṇā
خواہ کوئی نیک ہو یا ایسا نہ ہو، میرے اس مقدّس کھیتر کی خدمت سے، اے دیویِ دیویش، وہ مکتی پا لیتا ہے—اس میں کسی شک کی گنجائش نہیں۔
Kanakakuṇḍala (contextual: addressing his wife, referred to as deveśī in affectionate/honorific style)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)
Scene: A devotional proclamation in Kāśī: the luminous kṣetra of Śiva, with pilgrims serving—sweeping ghāṭ steps, offering lamps—while the assurance of mokṣa is spoken to Devī.
FAQs
Service to Kāśī-kṣetra is proclaimed as a direct cause of liberation, transcending ordinary calculations of personal merit.
Kāśī-kṣetra itself—presented as ‘My field’ whose service grants mokṣa.
Kṣetra-sevā (service to the sacred region)—a broad prescription that can include temple service, tīrtha attendance, and dharmic conduct within Kāśī.