Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81
दीक्षितो योश्वमेधानां शतस्य कुलिशायुधः । दुर्वाससा क्षणेनापि नीतो निःश्रीकतां हि सः
dīkṣito yośvamedhānāṃ śatasya kuliśāyudhaḥ | durvāsasā kṣaṇenāpi nīto niḥśrīkatāṃ hi saḥ
വജ്രായുധധാരിയായ അവൻ നൂറ് അശ്വമേധങ്ങൾക്ക് ദീക്ഷിതനായിരുന്നുവെങ്കിലും, ദുർവാസസാൽ ഒരു ക്ഷണത്തിൽ തന്നെ ശ്രീഹീനതയിലേക്കു നയിക്കപ്പെട്ടു.
Dadhīci
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣi audience / interlocutor in Kāśī narrative
Scene: Indra (vajrāyudha-bearing) in royal consecration imagery for grand Aśvamedhas, suddenly dimmed—his aura fading—while Durvāsas stands stern, ascetic, with blazing eyes; the contrast of opulence and ascetic power is central.
FAQs
Ritual achievements alone do not guarantee lasting prosperity; arrogance and offense can swiftly destroy even divine splendor.
Kāśī’s teaching-context: the narrative is used to correct misconceptions about auspiciousness and spiritual power associated with the place.
Reference to Aśvamedha-dīkṣā (consecration for horse-sacrifices), illustrating ritual magnitude rather than prescribing it.