Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 33
अन्वेषणे ढुंढिरयं प्रथितोस्तिधातुः सर्वार्थढुंढिततया तव ढुंढि नाम । काशीप्रवेशमपि को लभतेत्र देही तोषं विना तव विनायकढुंढिराज
anveṣaṇe ḍhuṃḍhirayaṃ prathitostidhātuḥ sarvārthaḍhuṃḍhitatayā tava ḍhuṃḍhi nāma | kāśīpraveśamapi ko labhatetra dehī toṣaṃ vinā tava vināyakaḍhuṃḍhirāja
由于词根“ḍhuṃḍh”以“寻求”之义而著名，而你又是探求并成就一切目标者，因此你被称为“Dhūṇḍhi”。噢毗那夜迦·Dhūṇḍhirāja——若不先得你欢喜，此处哪一个有身者能获得进入迦尸（Kāśī）之门？
Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues, often Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Dhūṇḍhirāja Vināyaka
Type: temple
Listener: Vināyaka Dhūṇḍhirāja (addressed)
Scene: At a Kāśī lane-temple threshold, Dhūṇḍhirāja Gaṇeśa sits as guardian; pilgrims with travel bundles pause, fold hands, and offer flowers. A subtle motif of ‘searching’ appears—Gaṇeśa’s gaze ‘finding’ the devotee’s aim like a lamp illuminating hidden paths.
FAQs
Even the holiest pilgrimage—entry into Kāśī—should be approached with humility and proper propitiation; Vināyaka’s grace removes obstacles and authorizes sacred access.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is praised, with emphasis on the threshold principle that entry into Kāśī is secured through Dhūṇḍhirāja Vināyaka’s satisfaction.
No explicit rite (snāna/dāna/japa) is stated in this verse; it gives a general prescription of obtaining Vināyaka Dhūṇḍhirāja’s toṣa (propitiatory satisfaction) before seeking Kāśī-praveśa.