Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64
जन्मांतरेष्वसंख्येषु यः कृतः पापसंचयः । दुष्प्रणोद्यो हि नितरां व्रतैर्दानैस्तपोजपैः
janmāṃtareṣvasaṃkhyeṣu yaḥ kṛtaḥ pāpasaṃcayaḥ | duṣpraṇodyo hi nitarāṃ vratairdānaistapojapaiḥ
数えきれぬ過去生に積み重ねた罪の集積は、きわめて払い難い。誓戒、布施、苦行、そして真言の誦持によってさえ、実に除きがたい。
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī (implied remedy beyond ordinary disciplines)
Type: kshetra
Listener: null
Scene: A pilgrim burdened by dark, smoke-like karmic residue stands amid symbols of vows, gifts, austerity, and rosary—yet the shadow persists, pointing toward a distant radiant kṣetra as hope.
FAQs
Deep karmic burdens from many lives are not easily erased by ordinary disciplines alone, highlighting the need for exceptional grace and sacred means.
Prayāga is implied as the extraordinary tīrtha that can accomplish what is otherwise difficult.
Vrata (vows), dāna (charity), tapa (austerity), and japa (recitation) are named as purificatory practices.