Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51
न गर्तेषु ससत्वेषु न तिष्ठन्न व्रजन्नपि । गोविप्रसूर्यवाय्वग्नि चंद्रर्क्षांबु गुरूनपि
na garteṣu sasatveṣu na tiṣṭhanna vrajannapi | goviprasūryavāyvagni caṃdrarkṣāṃbu gurūnapi
Man soll sich nicht in Gruben erleichtern, in denen Lebewesen sind, weder im Stehen noch gar im Gehen. Auch soll man es nicht tun, dem Rind, den Brāhmaṇas, der Sonne, dem Wind, dem Feuer, dem Mond, den Sternen, dem Wasser oder den Ältesten und Lehrern zugewandt.
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (purity discipline within sacred mandala)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame)
Scene: A pilgrim pauses outside the sacred precinct, looking for a proper secluded spot; in the background are cows, a brāhmaṇa, a small sacred fire, the river, and the sun/moon motifs—showing the sense of being watched by cosmic witnesses; a pit with small creatures is carefully avoided.
FAQs
Purity is inseparable from reverence: avoid harming small beings and avoid disrespecting sacred persons and cosmic powers through impure acts.
The broader Kāśī setting is implied; the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frames such conduct as part of Kāśī’s sacred discipline.
Prohibitions regarding where and in whose direction one may discharge waste, emphasizing non-harm and reverence.