Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79
श्रुतिस्मृतिविहीना ये शौचाचारविवर्जिताः । येषां क्वापि गतिर्नास्ति तेषां वाराणसी गतिः
śrutismṛtivihīnā ye śaucācāravivarjitāḥ | yeṣāṃ kvāpi gatirnāsti teṣāṃ vārāṇasī gatiḥ
Die, denen die Führung von Śruti und Smṛti fehlt, die ohne Reinheit und rechte Lebensführung sind—die nirgends Zuflucht finden: für sie ist Vārāṇasī die Zuflucht.
Unspecified in snippet (quoted saying; Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame tradition: Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Vārāṇasī / Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A confused pilgrim without scriptural guidance stands at a ghāṭ; a compassionate priest points toward the temple and the river, symbolizing a path from disorder to śauca and ācāra.
FAQs
Even those who have fallen from dharmic guidance are not excluded—Kāśī is praised as a place of restoration and refuge.
Vārāṇasī (Kāśī).
No specific rite is stated; the verse emphasizes the sanctifying power of Kāśī itself.