Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11
श्रुत्वा गंगेश माहात्म्यं न नरो निरयी भवेत् । लभेच्च पुण्यसंभारं चिंतितं चाधिगच्छति
śrutvā gaṃgeśa māhātmyaṃ na naro nirayī bhavet | labhecca puṇyasaṃbhāraṃ ciṃtitaṃ cādhigacchati
ഗംഗേശന്റെ മഹാത്മ്യം ശ്രവിച്ചാൽ മനുഷ്യൻ നരകഗാമിയാകുകയില്ല; അവൻ പുണ്യസമ്പത്ത് സമ്പാദിക്കുകയും ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ആഗ്രഹിച്ചതും പ്രാപിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും.
Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Gaṅgeśa/Gaṅgeśvara
Type: kshetra
Scene: A sage or kathāvācaka recites Gaṅgeśvara’s glory to gathered listeners; the liṅga is depicted in the background as the narrative’s focus; listeners’ faces show relief and hope, symbolizing release from naraka-fear and attainment of wishes.
FAQs
Śravaṇa (devout listening) to a tīrtha’s or deity’s māhātmya is itself a dharmic practice that generates merit and protects one from grievous downfall.
Gaṅgeśvara/Gaṅgeśa in Kāśī, whose māhātmya is said to confer strong spiritual protection and blessings.
The practice highlighted is hearing (śravaṇa) the Gaṅgeśvara māhātmya; no additional rite is specified in this verse.