Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24
गणावूचतुः । सखे सुखं समाख्यावो नानाख्येयं तवाग्रतः । अध्वखेदापनोदाय पुनरस्याः पुरः कथाम्
gaṇāvūcatuḥ | sakhe sukhaṃ samākhyāvo nānākhyeyaṃ tavāgrataḥ | adhvakhedāpanodāya punarasyāḥ puraḥ kathām
Các Gaṇa nói: “Hiền hữu, chúng ta sẽ hoan hỷ thuật lại trước mặt ngươi điều đáng kể. Để xua tan mỏi mệt đường xa, hãy nghe—chúng ta lại kể chuyện về thành này.”
Śiva’s Gaṇas
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śivaśarmā (addressed as ‘sakhā’)
Scene: The gaṇas speak warmly to their companion, offering to retell Kāśī’s story as the group pauses from travel; a path with dust, resting posture, city in near distance.
FAQs
Sacred narration (kathā) itself is restorative—removing fatigue and strengthening devotion.
Kāśī, whose māhātmya is about to be narrated by Śiva’s attendants.
No formal ritual; the implied practice is śravaṇa (listening) to the city’s māhātmya.