Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42
कुशस्थली यथा काशी शूलपाणिश्च भैरवः । यथा वै मुक्तिदो राम धर्मारण्यं तथोत्तमम्
kuśasthalī yathā kāśī śūlapāṇiśca bhairavaḥ | yathā vai muktido rāma dharmāraṇyaṃ tathottamam
যেমন কুশস্থলী কাশীর ন্যায়, আর শূলপাণি সেখানে ভৈরব রূপে বিরাজমান; এবং যেমন সেই তীর্থ সত্যই মুক্তিদাতা—তেমনি, হে রাম, ধর্মারণ্য সর্বোত্তম।
Vasiṣṭha (deduced from context of instruction to Rāma)
Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya
Type: kshetra
Listener: Rāma
Scene: A hymn-like tableau: Dharmāraṇya visualized as a forest-kshetra with a shrine of Śūlapāṇi-Bhairava guarding the sacred precinct; the aura evokes Kāśī—liberation, lamps, and solemn guardianship.
FAQs
The Purāṇas establish hierarchies of sacred places to inspire pilgrimage; Dharmāraṇya is praised as mokṣa-bestowing like Kāśī.
Dharmāraṇya, explicitly compared with Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) and Kuśasthalī.
No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse functions as a māhātmya statement asserting the site’s liberating potency.