Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 46
वेदशिरा उवाच । अयि पुत्रि महाभागे धूतपापे शुभेक्षणे । कस्मै दद्यावराय त्वां त्वमेवाख्याहि तं वरम्
vedaśirā uvāca | ayi putri mahābhāge dhūtapāpe śubhekṣaṇe | kasmai dadyāvarāya tvāṃ tvamevākhyāhi taṃ varam
Vedaśirā berkata: “Wahai putriku yang amat berbahagia—Dhūtapāpā, bermata penuh keberkahan—katakanlah sendiri: kepada mempelai pria utama manakah aku harus menyerahkanmu? Sebutkanlah pilihanmu.”
Vedaśirā
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical)
Scene: The sage Vedaśirā addresses the maiden with affectionate honorifics, calling her ‘Dhūtapāpā’ and asking her to name the best bridegroom.
FAQs
Dharma is upheld by honoring virtue and seeking the worthy, not by haste—choice should be guided by auspiciousness and moral excellence.
Kāśī is the overarching sacred geography of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though this verse is primarily interpersonal dialogue.
It alludes to kanyādāna (the giving of a daughter in marriage), framed as a dharmic act requiring discernment.