Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41
मुच्यते न च पापेन चंडालत्वेन स द्विजाः । एवंविधेषु तीर्थेषु स्नातोपि च पृथक्पृथक्
mucyate na ca pāpena caṃḍālatvena sa dvijāḥ | evaṃvidheṣu tīrtheṣu snātopi ca pṛthakpṛthak
يا معشرَ ذوي الولادتين، مع أنه اغتسل مرارًا وتكرارًا في تيرثاتٍ من هذا النوع، لم يتحرّر من الإثم ولا من حال كونه تشاندالا (caṇḍāla).
Sūta (implied continuation)
Type: tirtha (generic)
Listener: dvijāḥ (addressed audience)
Scene: A weary pilgrim-king at multiple river-ghāṭs and ponds, repeatedly bathing yet still shadowed by a dark aura symbolizing unresolved pāpa/caṇḍālatva; sages observe with concern.
FAQs
External pilgrimage alone is not always sufficient; deeper causes of bondage require the right sacred encounter, grace, and inner transformation.
No single tīrtha is singled out; the verse contrasts many tīrtha-bathings with the lack of liberation from a particular condition.
Snāna (ritual bathing) is referenced, but shown as insufficient by itself in this narrative context.