Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1
अगस्त्य उवाच । धर्मतीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं कीदृग्देवेन शंभुना । स्कंद देव्यै समाख्यातं तदाख्याहि कृपां कुरु
agastya uvāca | dharmatīrthasya māhātmyaṃ kīdṛgdevena śaṃbhunā | skaṃda devyai samākhyātaṃ tadākhyāhi kṛpāṃ kuru
Agastya berkata: Wahai Skanda, kasihanilah dan ceritakan—bagaimanakah kebesaran Dharmatīrtha yang telah dihuraikan oleh Dewa Śambhu kepada Sang Dewi? Sampaikanlah kisah itu, tunjukkan belas ihsan.
Agastya
Tirtha: Dharmatīrtha
Type: tirtha
Listener: Skanda
Scene: Agastya, austere and radiant, seated in a hermitage setting, hands folded, addressing youthful Skanda; the question is about Dharmatīrtha’s greatness as told by Śambhu to Devī—suggesting a layered narrative scroll behind them.
FAQs
Approaching a realized teacher with humility and inquiry is the doorway to understanding tīrtha-māhātmya and dharma.
Dharmatīrtha in the Kāśī-kṣetra tradition is introduced as the subject of praise.
No ritual is prescribed here; it initiates the teaching by requesting the tīrtha’s māhātmya.