Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 150
श्रुत्वोदितां तस्य महेश्वरो गिरं मृद्वीकया साम्यमुपेयुषीं मृदु । भक्तस्य धीरस्य महातपोनिधे ददौ वराणां निकर तदा मुदा
śrutvoditāṃ tasya maheśvaro giraṃ mṛdvīkayā sāmyamupeyuṣīṃ mṛdu | bhaktasya dhīrasya mahātaponidhe dadau varāṇāṃ nikara tadā mudā
Nghe lời ấy—dịu dàng, ngọt như trái nho—Đại Tự Tại (Maheśvara) hoan hỷ; bèn vui mừng ban cho vị tín đồ kiên định, kho tàng đại khổ hạnh ấy, vô số ân phúc.
Narrator (within Kāśīkhaṇḍa; likely Skanda narrating events)
Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Audience within the Purāṇic frame (contextual)
Scene: Maheśvara seated in serene majesty, smiling as he listens; a steadfast devotee stands with folded hands; the devotee’s words are visualized as a soft vine of grapes, symbolizing sweetness.
FAQs
Sweet, humble devotion and steadfast tapas draw the immediate grace of Śiva, who becomes the giver of boons.
No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the broader Kāśī-māhātmya atmosphere of Śiva’s nearness.
No explicit ritual is prescribed; the implied discipline is tapas (austerity) joined with bhakti.