Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 33
न जलाप्लुतदेहस्य स्नानमित्यभिधीयते । स स्नातो यो दमस्नातः शुचिः शुद्धमनोमलः
na jalāplutadehasya snānamityabhidhīyate | sa snāto yo damasnātaḥ śuciḥ śuddhamanomalaḥ
ಕೇವಲ ನೀರಿನಿಂದ ದೇಹವನ್ನು ನೆನೆಸುವುದನ್ನೇ ‘ಸ್ನಾನ’ವೆಂದು ಹೇಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ದಮದಲ್ಲಿ (ಸಂಯಮದಲ್ಲಿ) ಸ್ನಾನ ಮಾಡಿದವನೇ ನಿಜ ಸ್ನಾತ—ಶುಚಿ, ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಮಲ ಶುದ್ಧವಾದವನು.
Skanda
Tirtha: Gaṅgā snāna in Kāśī (reinterpreted)
Type: ghat
Scene: Two figures at a ghāṭa: one merely splashes water with distracted eyes; the other stands calm, hands in añjali, a luminous aura around the head labeled ‘दमन-स्नान’. The river reflects the second as crystal-clear, while the first reflection is murky—symbolizing mano-mala.
FAQs
External bathing is incomplete without inner restraint; the real cleansing is removal of mental defilement.
Within Kāśī’s pilgrimage framework, the verse teaches that Kāśī’s gift is fulfilled by inner discipline, not water alone.
Practice dama (self-control) as the essential ‘bath’ accompanying any physical snāna.