Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 32
अग्निहोत्रैर्न तच्छ्रेयो नाग्निष्टोमादिभिर्मखैः । यच्छ्रेयः प्राप्यते मर्त्यैर्द्विजे चैके प्रतिष्ठिते
agnihotrairna tacchreyo nāgniṣṭomādibhirmakhaiḥ | yacchreyaḥ prāpyate martyairdvije caike pratiṣṭhite
वह श्रेय अग्निहोत्र से नहीं, न अग्निष्टोम आदि यज्ञों से मिलता है; जो श्रेय मनुष्य को एक भी द्विज को प्रतिष्ठित कर सहारा देने से मिलता है, वह उससे बढ़कर है।
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Scene: A contrast tableau: on one side elaborate Vedic sacrifice with altars; on the other, a patron establishing a learned dvija with books, food, and shelter—radiance stronger on the latter, signaling superior śreyas.
FAQs
Practical dharma—uplifting and firmly supporting a worthy dvija—can yield merit surpassing elaborate Vedic sacrifices.
The teaching is embedded in the Kāśī Māhātmya narrative framework, where dharmic support and charity are especially celebrated.
A value hierarchy is stated: supporting/establishing a dvija is praised as yielding greater śreyas than Agnihotra or Agniṣṭoma sacrifices.