Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34
तत्तीर्थसेवकोद्यापि नारिभिः परिभूयते । न पातकैर्महद्भिश्च प्रार्थितं च फलं लभेत्
tattīrthasevakodyāpi nāribhiḥ paribhūyate | na pātakairmahadbhiśca prārthitaṃ ca phalaṃ labhet
તે તીર્થનો સેવક સ્ત્રીઓ દ્વારા અપમાનિત થતો હોય તોય મહાપાતકોથી લિપ્ત થતો નથી; અને જે ફળ માટે પ્રાર્થના કરે છે તે ફળ પ્રાપ્ત કરે છે।
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)
Scene: A humble tīrtha-servant at a Kāśī ghat continues sweeping and offering water to pilgrims while a group of women mock or slight him; above, an unseen aura of Śiva’s protection surrounds him, and a subtle boon-symbol (a blossoming lotus) indicates fulfilled prayer.
FAQs
Devotion to a sacred tīrtha is presented as spiritually protective: worldly humiliation does not diminish the pilgrim’s merit or divine favor.
The verse continues the praise of the immediately preceding tīrtha-context (Mahīṣāsura Tīrtha and its vicinity).
Tīrtha-sevā (regular attendance, reverent service, observance) and prayer for a desired phala.