Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68
युक्तमुक्तं पुराविद्भिश्चिन्तामूर्तिः सुदारुणा । न भेषजैर्लंघनैर्वा न चान्यैरुपशाम्यति
yuktamuktaṃ purāvidbhiścintāmūrtiḥ sudāruṇā | na bheṣajairlaṃghanairvā na cānyairupaśāmyati
古之智者所言诚然：忧虑乃极其可怖的具形之力；非药物所能平息，亦非断食所能止息，更非他法可轻易消除。
Vindhya
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Ancient sages (‘purāvidaḥ’) are evoked as authorities; anxiety is personified as a dark, looming figure, while medicines and fasting appear ineffective—scattered herbs, an empty bowl—until a Śiva-symbol brings calm light.
FAQs
Anxiety is an inner affliction; external remedies alone cannot pacify it without inner transformation.
None; the verse is a general teaching framed within the story.
Fasting and medicines are mentioned only to say they do not quell anxiety by themselves.