Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35
स्नात्वा नरः प्रथमतो मणिकर्णिकायामुद्धूलितांघ्रियुगलस्तु सचैलमाशु । देवर्षिमानवपितॄनपि तर्पयित्वा ज्ञानोदतीर्थमभिलभ्य भजेत्ततस्त्वाम्
snātvā naraḥ prathamato maṇikarṇikāyāmuddhūlitāṃghriyugalastu sacailamāśu | devarṣimānavapitṝnapi tarpayitvā jñānodatīrthamabhilabhya bhajettatastvām
D’abord, que l’homme se baigne à Maṇikarṇikā; puis, sans quitter son vêtement, qu’il secoue et purifie promptement ses deux pieds. Ayant offert le tarpaṇa aux dieux, aux ṛṣi, aux hommes et aux Pitṛ, qu’il parvienne au tīrtha nommé Jñānoda et, ensuite, qu’il T’adore.
Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda instructing Agastya)
Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā and Jñānoda-tīrtha
Type: ghat
Listener: Pilgrim/adhikārī addressed indirectly; deity addressed as ‘tvām’ at the end (contextually Dhūṇḍhirāja/Vināyaka)
Scene: Dawn at Maṇikarṇikā: a pilgrim steps into the Ganga for snāna, then stands on the stone steps dusting and cleansing feet while still clothed; nearby, he offers tarpaṇa with cupped hands. He then walks toward a smaller shrine/pond labeled Jñānoda, ending in worship at a Vināyaka shrine.
FAQs
Kāśī pilgrimage should be done with disciplined order—purification (snāna), gratitude through offerings (tarpaṇa), and then direct devotion to the Lord—so that sacred travel becomes dharma and worship.
Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī is highlighted as the first bathing place, followed by Jñānoda Tīrtha as the next sacred destination before worship of the Lord of Kāśī.
The verse prescribes bathing at Maṇikarṇikā, cleansing the feet, performing tarpaṇa to devas, ṛṣis, humans, and pitṛs, and then proceeding to Jñānoda Tīrtha for worship.