Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1
स्कंद उवाच । शृण्वगस्त्यमहाभाग स च राजा भगीरथः । आराध्य श्रीमहादेवमुद्दिधीर्षुः पितामहान्
skaṃda uvāca | śṛṇvagastyamahābhāga sa ca rājā bhagīrathaḥ | ārādhya śrīmahādevamuddidhīrṣuḥ pitāmahān
സ്കന്ദൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ഹേ മഹാഭാഗ അഗസ്ത്യ, ശ്രവിക്കൂ. രാജാവ് ഭഗീരഥൻ പിതൃന്മാരെ ഉദ്ധരിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു ശ്രീമഹാദേവനെ ആരാധിച്ചു.
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual frame)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Agastya
Scene: Skanda narrates to Agastya: King Bhagīratha in austere posture worships Mahādeva, intent on rescuing his forefathers; the mood is solemn, vow-filled, and devotional.
FAQs
Deliverance of ancestors is achieved through devotion and austerity directed to Śiva.
The narrative is steering toward Kāśī and Maṇikarṇikā as the key sacred locus connected with Gaṅgā.
Ārādhana (propitiatory worship) of Mahādeva for pitṛ-upliftment.