Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 112
समेताः कुत्र यास्याम इति ब्रूत द्विजोत्तमाः । यो गृहे कार्त्तिकीं कुर्यात्स्नानदानादिवर्जितः
sametāḥ kutra yāsyāma iti brūta dvijottamāḥ | yo gṛhe kārttikīṃ kuryātsnānadānādivarjitaḥ
“Wahai para dvijottama, setelah berhimpun katakanlah—ke manakah kita akan pergi? Kerana sesiapa yang menjalani bulan Kārttika hanya di rumah, namun meninggalkan mandi suci, sedekah, dan amalan seumpamanya…”
A king (nṛpa/pārthiva), addressing Brahmins (dvijottamāḥ) in the Revā-khaṇḍa narrative
Tirtha: Unspecified ‘sarva-guṇa’ tīrtha to be chosen (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: The king, with brāhmaṇas assembled, asks decisively where to go; the subtext warns against a home-bound Kārttika lacking bathing and charity.
FAQs
Kārttika observance is meant to be supported by concrete dharmic acts—especially snāna (sacred bathing) and dāna (charity)—not performed as a mere formality.
The verse sets up a pilgrimage query; the specific tīrtha is named in subsequent verses (Bhāreśvara on the Revā/Narmadā).
The necessity of snāna (ritual bathing) and dāna (charitable giving) as integral supports of the Kārttika observance.