Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 94
किंचिदभ्युदिते सूर्ये माघस्नानं समाचरेत् । यथाशक्त्या च नियमान्माघस्नायी समाचरेत्
kiṃcidabhyudite sūrye māghasnānaṃ samācaret | yathāśaktyā ca niyamānmāghasnāyī samācaret
When the sun has risen just a little, one should perform the Māgha bath. And the observer of the Māgha bath should keep the prescribed restraints and disciplines according to one’s capacity.
Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue framework)
Tirtha: Gaṅgā-snāna at Kāśī in Māgha
Type: ghat
Scene: Early morning on the Gaṅgā at Kāśī: pilgrims step into the river as the sun has just risen; some hold water in añjali, others recite mantras; priests guide vrata-niyamas.
FAQs
Sacred practice becomes fruitful when paired with self-restraint, undertaken sincerely within one’s capacity.
The broader setting is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where month-long vows like Māgha-snāna are praised.
Perform Māgha-snāna shortly after sunrise and maintain appropriate niyamas (observances) as far as one can.