Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68
सप्तधातुमयी भूततनौ पापानि यानि वै । केशेषु तानि तिष्ठंति वपनाद्यांति तान्यपि
saptadhātumayī bhūtatanau pāpāni yāni vai | keśeṣu tāni tiṣṭhaṃti vapanādyāṃti tānyapi
সপ্তধাতুময় দেহে যে যে পাপ থাকে, তা কেশে আশ্রয় নেয়; আর মুণ্ডন করলে সেগুলিও দূর হয়ে যায়।
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical frame; not explicit here)
Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī sits near a ghāṭa as a barber performs vapanā; the Gaṅgā flows behind, with temple spires and lamps, suggesting ritual purification before sacred bathing.
FAQs
Purification is expressed through bodily symbolism: sins are said to cling even to hair, and ritual acts can signify their removal.
Prayāga is the implied tīrtha-context for these purificatory acts within this adhyāya.
Vapana (shaving/tonsure) is mentioned as a purificatory act.