Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 2
अशक्तानां च पंगूनामालस्योपहतात्मनाम् । दूरदेशांतरस्थानां गंगास्नानं कथं भवेत्
aśaktānāṃ ca paṃgūnāmālasyopahatātmanām | dūradeśāṃtarasthānāṃ gaṃgāsnānaṃ kathaṃ bhavet
അശക്തരും മുടന്തരും, ആലസ്യം മൂലം ദൃഢനിശ്ചയം ക്ഷീണിച്ചവരും, ദൂരദേശാന്തരങ്ങളിൽ വസിക്കുന്നവരും—അവർക്ക് ഗംഗാസ്നാനം എങ്ങനെ സാധ്യമാകും?
Agastya
Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī-sannidhau implied)
Type: river
Scene: A weary pilgrim—lame or aged—stands far from the Gaṅgā, hands folded, gazing toward an imagined river; the question of access becomes the emotional center.
FAQs
Dharma must account for human limitation; the verse motivates teachings on alternative, accessible paths to sacred merit.
The Gaṅgā, presented as the desired tīrtha that many cannot physically reach.
Gaṅgā-snānā is the benchmark practice; the verse asks how it applies to those unable to travel or perform it.