Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95
श्रद्धाबीजो विप्रपादांबुसिक्तः शाखाविद्यास्ताश्चतस्रो दशापि । पुष्पाण्यर्था द्वे फले स्थूलसूक्ष्मे मोक्षःकामो धर्मवृक्षोयमीड्यः
śraddhābījo viprapādāṃbusiktaḥ śākhāvidyāstāścatasro daśāpi | puṣpāṇyarthā dve phale sthūlasūkṣme mokṣaḥkāmo dharmavṛkṣoyamīḍyaḥ
श्रद्धा हे ज्याचे बीज आणि विप्रांच्या पादप्रक्षालनाच्या जलाने जो सिंचित—तो हा धर्मवृक्ष वंद्य आहे. त्याच्या शाखा विद्या—चार व दहा; त्याची पुष्पे अर्थ; आणि त्याची दोन फळे स्थूल-सूक्ष्म—काम व मोक्ष।
Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical frame)
Scene: An allegorical ‘Dharma-tree’ growing in Kāśī: seed of faith, watered by foot-washing water of venerable teachers; branches labeled with vidyās; blossoms as artha; two fruits—bhoga and mokṣa—glowing distinctly.
FAQs
Faith and righteous living, nourished by holy association, culminate in both worldly well-being and the highest fruit—mokṣa.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is implied as the sacred field where dharma and liberation-bearing merit flourish.
Reverence for brāhmaṇas and sanctifying contact with their pādāmbu (foot-washing water) is praised as spiritually nourishing.