Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48
विधिक्रतोर्दशगुणं जपस्यफलमश्नुते । विधिक्रतोर्दशगुणो जपक्रतुरुदीरितः
vidhikratordaśaguṇaṃ japasyaphalamaśnute | vidhikratordaśaguṇo japakraturudīritaḥ
Se dice que el fruto del japa, la repetición sagrada, es diez veces el de un kratu realizado conforme al rito; en verdad, el japa mismo es proclamado ‘sacrificio de repetición’, diez veces superior al kratu prescrito.
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A pilgrim-sādhaka seated on a pañcagaṅgā-like ghat at dawn, counting a rudrākṣa mālā; behind him a subtle vision of a Vedic yajña-fire fades, indicating japa as the higher inner sacrifice; temple spires and Gaṅgā currents frame the scene.
FAQs
Inner, disciplined japa is exalted as a powerful sacrifice, often surpassing external ritual in spiritual fruit.
The teaching occurs within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa framework, implicitly glorifying Kāśī as the setting where such dharma is taught and practiced.
It compares vidhi-based kratu (yajña) with japa, prescribing japa as a superior ‘japa-kratu’ in terms of merit.