Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59
घट्टान्पुण्यतटिन्यादेर्बंधयंति शिलादिभिः । तोयार्थिसुखसिद्ध्यर्थं ये नरास्तेत्र भोगिनः
ghaṭṭānpuṇyataṭinyāderbaṃdhayaṃti śilādibhiḥ | toyārthisukhasiddhyarthaṃ ye narāstetra bhoginaḥ
Ces hommes qui, avec des pierres et autres matériaux, édifient des ghāṭas, des marches de bain, sur les rivières sacrées et autres eaux saintes, pour le réconfort et l’accomplissement de ceux qui cherchent l’eau—ceux-là deviennent là-bas jouisseurs de prospérité.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Gaṅgā-ghāṭas of Kāśī (generalized to puṇya-taṭinīs)
Type: ghat
Listener: Ṛṣis/śrotṛ-gaṇa (contextual)
Scene: Pilgrims descend newly built stone steps into a sacred river; masons place slabs; donors offer waterpots and lamps; the river glows at dawn with temple spires behind.
FAQs
Public service done for pilgrims—especially ensuring access to sacred water—becomes a powerful source of merit and auspicious reward.
Kāśī’s sacred riverfront culture (ghāṭas on holy rivers), a hallmark of Kāśī Māhātmya within the Skanda Purāṇa.
Constructing ghāṭas/bathing access on holy waters as a form of dharmic dāna-sevā (charitable infrastructure for pilgrims).