Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14
पक्षिण ऊचुः । अनाथनाथ सर्वज्ञ को वरो नः समीहितः । इतोपि त्र्यक्ष यत्साक्षात्तिर्यक्त्वेपि समीक्षिताः
pakṣiṇa ūcuḥ | anāthanātha sarvajña ko varo naḥ samīhitaḥ | itopi tryakṣa yatsākṣāttiryaktvepi samīkṣitāḥ
Bầy chim thưa: “Ôi Đấng nương tựa của kẻ không nơi nương tựa, ôi Đấng Toàn tri—chúng con còn mong cầu ân huệ nào nữa? Ôi Chúa Ba Mắt, chỉ bấy nhiêu đã đủ: Ngài đích thân đoái nhìn chúng con, dẫu chúng con chỉ là loài súc sinh (tiryak).”
Birds (pakṣiṇaḥ) addressing Śiva
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Internal audience of the Kāśī narrative
Scene: Birds speak with folded wings, eyes uplifted toward the three-eyed Lord; the emphasis is on the mutual gaze—Śiva’s compassionate look meeting the creatures’ humble wonder.
FAQs
Darśana of Śiva is itself the supreme blessing—his glance uplifts all beings, regardless of birth.
Kāśī’s māhātmya is echoed: the Lord’s immediate presence and liberating attention (darśana) is the hallmark of the sacred space.
Implicitly, seeking darśana—approaching the Lord with humility and devotion—is presented as the highest spiritual ‘practice’ here.