Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 72
उपवासैर्व्रतैः कृत्स्नैरसंताप्य निजां तनुम् । स्वर्गाभिलाषिणः पुंसः स्नांतु सेतौ विमुक्तिदे
upavāsairvrataiḥ kṛtsnairasaṃtāpya nijāṃ tanum | svargābhilāṣiṇaḥ puṃsaḥ snāṃtu setau vimuktide
Sans tourmenter leur propre corps par des jeûnes et des vœux accomplis jusqu’au bout, les hommes qui aspirent au ciel doivent se baigner à Setu, dispensateur de délivrance.
Skanda (deduced from Setu Māhātmya narrative style)
Tirtha: Setu
Type: kshetra
Scene: A compassionate sacred seashore: weary ascetics with signs of harsh fasting stand aside, while ordinary householders and pilgrims bathe with serene devotion; a luminous path of light rises from the water, symbolizing vimukti.
FAQs
The Māhātmya elevates Setu-bathing as a compassionate, accessible path to merit—linking pilgrimage with both heavenly reward and liberation.
Setu (Setu Kṣetra), praised explicitly as “vimukti-da,” the bestower of release.
Snāna at Setu, presented as a potent alternative to harsh bodily austerities for those seeking spiritual fruits.