Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 240
अग्निश्चेति च मंत्रेण विधायाचमने सुधीः । पश्चिमास्यो जपेत्तावद्यावन्नक्षत्रदर्शनम्
agniśceti ca maṃtreṇa vidhāyācamane sudhīḥ | paścimāsyo japettāvadyāvannakṣatradarśanam
Après avoir accompli l’ācamana avec le mantra commençant par « Agniś ca… », le sage doit faire face à l’ouest et poursuivre le japa jusqu’à l’apparition des étoiles.
Skanda (contextual, Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Gaṅgā-ghāṭas)
Type: ghat
Listener: Kumbhaja (Agastya)
Scene: A pilgrim at a Kāśī ghat performs ācamana, then sits facing west as the sun sets; the sky deepens and the first stars appear while japa continues, with lamps beginning to glow along the riverbank.
FAQs
Purification (ācamana) and disciplined mantra-japa, aligned with time and direction, are upheld as steady daily dharma.
The instruction belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-setting, where correct daily observance is praised as especially meritorious.
Perform ācamana using the ‘Agniś ca…’ mantra, then face west and do japa until the stars appear.