Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93
एकतः सर्वदानानि दीपदानं तथैकतः । कार्तिके दीपदानस्य कलां नार्हंति षोडशीम्
ekataḥ sarvadānāni dīpadānaṃ tathaikataḥ | kārtike dīpadānasya kalāṃ nārhaṃti ṣoḍaśīm
एक ओर सब प्रकार के दान हैं और दूसरी ओर दीप-दान है। कार्तिक में दीप-दान के पुण्य की सोलहवीं कला के भी अन्य दान बराबर नहीं होते।
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī (Ghāṭa-dīpa-dāna)
Type: ghat
Scene: Kāśī ghats at night in Kārttika: thousands of floating lamps on the Ganga, devotees offering rows of diyas, temple spires glowing; the scene conveys overwhelming radiance and collective devotion.
FAQs
Light offered in sacred time symbolizes inner awakening; hence dīpa-dāna in Kārttika is praised as supremely transformative.
While the verse is set in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa context, it extols Kārttika lamp-offering as a general mahātmya practice (commonly performed in Kāśī’s temples and ghāṭas).
Perform dīpa-dāna (offering/donating lamps), especially in the month of Kārttika, as the foremost charity.