Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 63
गोष्ठाग्निजलरथ्यासु तरुच्छायानगेषु च । त्यजंति ये पुरीषाद्यमारामायतनेषु च
goṣṭhāgnijalarathyāsu tarucchāyānageṣu ca | tyajaṃti ye purīṣādyamārāmāyataneṣu ca
ومن يقضي حاجته—غائطًا ونحوه—في حظائر البقر، أو قرب النار، أو في الماء، أو على الطرق، أو تحت ظل الأشجار، أو على الجبال، أو داخل الحدائق وحُرُم المعابد—فأولئك مُدانُون بالنجاسة والإثم.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Tirtha: General tīrtha-śauca (not a named site)
Type: ghat
Scene: A tīrtha landscape with river steps, temple courtyard, shaded rest trees, and a mountain path; attendants guide pilgrims toward proper latrine areas away from sacred zones; the impure act is shown as a cautionary vignette.
FAQs
External cleanliness supports inner purity; defiling sacred and public spaces is a dharmic offense.
No single site is named; the verse protects all tīrthas, temples, and public ways through purity discipline.
Maintain śauca by avoiding defilement of waters, roads, gardens, and temple areas.