Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25
सुदेशोऽपि भवेन्निंद्यो यत्र नो वैष्णवा व्रतम् । कुदेशोऽपि भवेत्पुण्यो यत्र भागवताः कलौ
sudeśo'pi bhavenniṃdyo yatra no vaiṣṇavā vratam | kudeśo'pi bhavetpuṇyo yatra bhāgavatāḥ kalau
जहाँ वैष्णव-व्रत का पालन नहीं, वहाँ अच्छा देश भी निंदनीय हो जाता है; और कलियुग में जहाँ भागवत भक्त हैं, वहाँ बुरा देश भी पुण्यवान हो जाता है।
Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purāṇa context within Māhātmya narration)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Two landscapes: a wealthy city with empty temples and no vrata signs labeled ‘nindya’; a humble hamlet with Bhāgavatas singing, tulasī courtyards, and Ekādaśī banners labeled ‘puṇya’.
FAQs
In Kali-yuga, the presence of genuine devotees and their observances is the decisive sign of sanctity, outweighing outward prestige of a region.
Dvārakā’s devotional ethos is the context; the verse generalizes the principle to all lands in Kali-yuga.
Vaiṣṇava-vrata (devotional vows/discipline), and association with Bhāgavata devotees.