Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25
कः काशीं प्राप्य दुर्बुद्धिरपरत्र यियासति । मोक्षनिक्षेप कलशीं तुच्छश्रीकृतमानसः
kaḥ kāśīṃ prāpya durbuddhiraparatra yiyāsati | mokṣanikṣepa kalaśīṃ tucchaśrīkṛtamānasaḥ
کاشی کو پا کر کون بدعقل کہیں اور جانا چاہے گا؟ جس کا دل حقیر چمک دمک سے چھوٹا ہو گیا ہو—حالانکہ کاشی تو موکش کے سپرد کیے جانے کا کلش، نجات کا ظرف ہے۔
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: null
Scene: Kāśī as a sacred golden kalaśa overflowing with light labeled ‘mokṣa’, while a pilgrim turns away from glittering but small worldly palaces and jewels; the Gaṅgā and Viśvanātha temple anchor the scene.
FAQs
Worldly attractions are ‘small’ compared to liberation; Kāśī is praised as a unique locus where mokṣa is most accessible.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), explicitly exalted as a “mokṣa-vessel” (mokṣa-nikṣepa-kalaśī).
No formal rite; it counsels steadfast attachment to Kāśī over chasing lesser worldly gains.