Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 140
नक्तं दिनं निमज्ज्याप्सु कैवर्ताः किमु पावनाः । शतशोपि तथा स्नाता न शुद्धा भावदूषिता
naktaṃ dinaṃ nimajjyāpsu kaivartāḥ kimu pāvanāḥ | śataśopi tathā snātā na śuddhā bhāvadūṣitā
Jika para nelayan yang menyelam ke dalam air siang dan malam pun tidak menjadi suci kerananya, apatah lagi yang lain. Walau mandi seratus kali, seseorang tidak menjadi bersih apabila batin dan niatnya tercemar.
Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī (contextual)
Type: river
Scene: Fishermen repeatedly plunge into the river, yet a luminous sage points to the heart, indicating that inner stains remain; the Gaṅgā flows indifferent, reflecting the teaching.
FAQs
External rites like bathing cannot replace inner purity; intention (bhāva) is the real purifier.
The teaching belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dharma-instruction set within Kāśī’s sacred landscape, though no single tīrtha is named in this verse.
Snāna is acknowledged, but its efficacy is conditioned on pure intention and conduct.