Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12
दीनांधकृपणेभ्यश्च दानं कार्पटिकेषु च । वृषभस्तत्र दातव्यः प्रवृत्ते क्रूरकर्मणि । उपवासं ततः कुर्यात्तस्मिन्नहनि भामिनि
dīnāṃdhakṛpaṇebhyaśca dānaṃ kārpaṭikeṣu ca | vṛṣabhastatra dātavyaḥ pravṛtte krūrakarmaṇi | upavāsaṃ tataḥ kuryāttasminnahani bhāmini
Hendaknya seseorang bersedekah kepada orang miskin, yang buta, dan yang papa, serta kepada para pengemis suci yang berkekurangan. Di tempat suci itu, ketika perbuatan kejam merebak, seekor lembu jantan (vṛṣabha) patut dipersembahkan sebagai dana. Setelah itu, wahai wanita jelita, berpuasalah pada hari itu.
Sūta (deduced); addressee within verse: Bhāminī (a lady, likely Devī in the ongoing dialogue)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Someśvara/Somnātha)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Bhāminī (addressed as ‘O fair lady’)
Scene: At Prabhāsa, pilgrims approach the Someśvara shrine; a donor offers food and cloth to the poor and blind, and presents a decorated bull as vṛṣabha-dāna; the devotee then undertakes a solemn fast.
FAQs
Pilgrimage merit is perfected through compassion—supporting the vulnerable, making significant gifts, and practicing self-restraint via fasting.
Prabhāsakṣetra, where dāna and upavāsa are highlighted as tīrtha-enhancing disciplines.
Give charity to the poor/blind/destitute and needy mendicants; perform vṛṣabha-dāna; observe upavāsa (fasting) that day.