Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36
गंगां गच्छति यस्त्वेको यस्तु भक्त्यानुमोदयेत् । तयोस्तुल्यफलं प्राहुर्भक्तिरेवात्र कारणम्
gaṃgāṃ gacchati yastveko yastu bhaktyānumodayet | tayostulyaphalaṃ prāhurbhaktirevātra kāraṇam
إن ذهبَ واحدٌ إلى الغانغا المقدّسة، وآخرُ لا يقدر على الذهاب ففرحَ وأقرَّ ذلك بتعبّدٍ وإخلاص، قيل إنهما ينالان ثمرةً واحدة؛ لأن البهاكتي وحدها هي السبب الحقّ هنا.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Gaṅgā
Type: tirtha
Listener: Pārvatī or internal interlocutor (contextual)
Scene: Two devotees: one walking toward the Gaṅgā ghāṭa with staff and waterpot; another at home with folded hands, eyes moist with devotion, joyfully blessing the pilgrim. A subtle radiance links them, signifying equal fruit through bhakti.
FAQs
Devotion is paramount: sincere appreciative participation (anumodana) can match the merit of physically reaching the tīrtha.
Gaṅgā is the tīrtha in view; the verse also universalizes access to her merit through bhakti.
Anumodana—devoutly rejoicing in and endorsing Gaṅgā pilgrimage—is presented as a valid merit-bearing practice.