Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86
दीक्षितो वा दिवाकीर्तिः पंडितो वाप्यपंडितः । तुल्यो मे मोक्षदीक्षायां संप्राप्य मणिकर्णिकाम्
dīkṣito vā divākīrtiḥ paṃḍito vāpyapaṃḍitaḥ | tulyo me mokṣadīkṣāyāṃ saṃprāpya maṇikarṇikām
ದೀಕ್ಷಿತನಾಗಿರಲಿ, ಹಗಲಿನಂತೆ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧನಾಗಿರಲಿ, ಪಂಡಿತನಾಗಿರಲಿ ಅಥವಾ ಅಪಂಡಿತನಾಗಿರಲಿ—ಮಣಿಕರ್ಣಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ತಲುಪಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ನನ್ನ ಮೋಕ್ಷದೀಕ್ಷೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಸಮಾನರು.
Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā
Type: ghat
Listener: Purāṇic audience within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration
Scene: On the ghāṭa steps of Maṇikarṇikā, a line of diverse figures—initiated ascetic, renowned scholar, ordinary laborer—stand equally before a radiant Śiva-liṅga; a single stream of light touches all, symbolizing mokṣa-dīkṣā.
FAQs
In Maṇikarṇikā’s liberating sphere, spiritual privilege is leveled—liberation is offered without discrimination.
Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī (Varanasi).
Mokṣa-dīkṣā (initiation into liberation) is referenced as being granted upon reaching Maṇikarṇikā.