Skandapurana 4.52.9.4

4.52.9.4

ahaṃ cāstidhano rājannyāyopāttamahādhanaḥ ..44..
iyaṃ ca rājadhānī te karmabhūmāvanuttamā ..
yasyāṃ kṛtānāṃ kāryāṇāṃ saṃvartepi na saṃkṣayaḥ ..49..
saṃcitaṃ yaddhanaṃ puṃbhirnayasanmārgagāmibhiḥ ..
tatkāśyāṃ viniyujyeta kleśāyetarathā bhavet ..46..
mahimānaṃ paraṃ kāśyāḥ kopi veda na bhūpate ..
ṛte trinayanācchaṃbhoḥ sarvajñānapradāyinaḥ ..47..
manye dhanyatarosi tvaṃ bahujanmaśatārjitaiḥ ..
sukṛtaiḥ pāsi yatkāśīṃ viśvabhartuḥ parāṃ tanum .. 48..
kāśī trijagatīsārastrivedī sāra eva vai ..
trivargottarasāraśca nirṇīteti maharṣibhiḥ .. 49..
viśveśānugraheṇaiva tvayaiṣā pālyate purī ..
ekasyāpyavanātkāśyāṃ trailokyamavitaṃ bhavet ..4.2.52.50..
anyacca te hitaṃ vacmi yadi te rocate'nagha ..
prīṇanīyaḥ sadaivaiko viśveśaḥ sarvakarmabhiḥ .. 51 ..
anyadevadhiyā rājanviśveśaṃ paśya mā kvacit ..
brahmaviṣṇviṃdra caṃdrārkā krīḍeyaṃ tasya dhūrjaṭeḥ .. .. 52 ..
viprairudarkamicchadbhiḥ śikṣaṇīyā yato nṛpāḥ ..
atastava hitaṃ khyātaṃ kiṃ vā me ciṃtayānayā .. 53 ..
iti joṣaṃ sthitaṃ vipraṃ pratyuvāca nṛpottamaḥ ..
sarvaṃ mayā hṛdi dhṛtaṃ yattvayoktaṃ dvijottama .. 54 ..
.. rājovāca .. ..
ahaṃ yiyakṣamāṇasya tava sāhāyyakarmaṇi ..
dāsosmi yajñasaṃbhārānnayameko śato'khilān .. 55 ..
yadasti mekhilaṃ tatra saptāṃgepi bhavānprabhuḥ ..
yajasvaikamanābrahmansiddhaṃ manyasva vāṃchitam .. 56 ..
rājyaṃ karomi yadbrahmansvārthaṃ tanna manāgapi ..
putraiḥ kalatrairdehenaparopakṛtaye yate .. 57..
rājñāṃ kratukriyābhyopi tīrthebhyopi samaṃtataḥ ..
prajāpālanamevaiko dharmaḥ prokto manīṣibhiḥ .. 58 ..

"And I possess abundant wealth, O king, great wealth acquired righteously.
And this capital of yours is supreme in the land of ritual action;
in it, whatever deeds are performed do not perish even at the dissolution of the world.
Whatever wealth is accumulated by men walking the noble path of righteousness
should be applied in Kāśī; otherwise it will lead only to distress.
No one knows the supreme greatness of Kāśī, O lord of the earth,
except the three-eyed Śambhu, who bestows all knowledge.
I consider you most blessed, since by meritorious deeds earned across hundreds of births
you protect Kāśī, the supreme body of the Sustainer of the Universe.
Kāśī is the essence of the three worlds, the very essence of the three Vedas,
and the supreme essence beyond the three goals of life—so it has been determined by the great seers.
Only by the grace of the Lord of the Universe is this city protected by you.
From the protection of even one person in Kāśī, the three worlds become protected.
Furthermore, I tell you what is beneficial, if it pleases you, O blameless one:
the Lord of the Universe alone should always be pleased by all actions.
Never look upon the Lord of the Universe as another deity, O king!
Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra, the moon, and the sun are merely the play of that Dhūrjaṭi.
Because kings are to be instructed by brahmins who desire good future outcomes,
therefore what is beneficial to you has been spoken. Or what is this concern to me?"
To the brahmin who thus remained silent, the best of kings replied:
"Everything that was spoken by you, O best of brahmins, has been held in my heart."
The king said:
"To you who desire to sacrifice, in the matter of your assistance,
I am a servant; not one among a hundred sacrificial materials is missing.
Whatever is mine, in all the seven constituents of the realm, you are the master over it.
Perform your sacrifice with a single mind, O brahmin; consider your wish accomplished!
That I rule the kingdom, O brahmin, is not in the least for my own sake;
with my sons, my wives, and my body, I strive for the benefit of others.
For kings, even above sacrificial rites and even above all sacred fords everywhere,
the protection of the subjects alone has been proclaimed by the wise as the one duty."