Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 9
स्नात्वा गंगामृते शुद्धे तप एतदिहोत्तमम् । सत्कृत्य भिक्षवे भिक्षा यत्काश्यां परिदीयते । तुला पुरुष एतस्याः कलां नार्हति षोडशीम्
snātvā gaṃgāmṛte śuddhe tapa etadihottamam | satkṛtya bhikṣave bhikṣā yatkāśyāṃ paridīyate | tulā puruṣa etasyāḥ kalāṃ nārhati ṣoḍaśīm
शुद्ध अमृतमयी गंगा में स्नान करके यहाँ की सर्वोत्तम तपस्या यही है—भिक्षुक का सत्कार कर काशी में भिक्षा देना। ‘तुलापुरुष’ का पुण्य भी इसके सोलहवें अंश के बराबर नहीं।
Skanda
Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī)
Type: ghat
Listener: null
Scene: At dawn on a Kāśī ghāṭ: pilgrims bathe in the shimmering Gaṅgā described as amṛta; afterward a householder offers a bowl of food and cloth to a saffron-clad mendicant with reverent gesture; a symbolic balance scale in the background hints at Tulā-puruṣa being surpassed.
FAQs
In Kāśī, purification through Gaṅgā-bathing and compassionate giving to ascetics is exalted above even grand ceremonial charities.
The Gaṅgā in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) and the city’s culture of sacred almsgiving are glorified.
Gaṅgā-snāna (bathing in the Gaṅgā) and respectfully giving bhikṣā (alms/food) to a bhikṣu; it is said to surpass Tulā-puruṣa charity.