Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 88
सा दुर्गाशक्तिभिः सार्धं काशीं रक्षति सर्वतः । ताः प्रयत्नेन संपूज्या कालरात्रिमुखा नरैः
sā durgāśaktibhiḥ sārdhaṃ kāśīṃ rakṣati sarvataḥ | tāḥ prayatnena saṃpūjyā kālarātrimukhā naraiḥ
Chính Đức Durgā cùng các Śakti của Ngài bảo hộ Kāśī khắp mọi phương. Vì thế, con người nên chí tâm phụng thờ các Śakti ấy, bắt đầu từ Kālarātri.
Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) to Agastya
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Śakti-rakṣā-maṇḍala)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Durgā stands as a radiant protectress over the map-like silhouette of Kāśī, while multiple Śaktis emanate around her like a directional garland; devotees offer worship beginning with the fierce Kālarātri.
FAQs
The sacred city is protected by divine energies; honoring those protective powers aligns the devotee with the kṣetra’s spiritual order.
Kāśī as a protected kṣetra (sacred field) guarded by Durgā and her Śaktis.
Worship Durgā’s Śaktis diligently, explicitly mentioning Kālarātri as foremost among them.