Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5
अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतोवापि यत्पापं कुरुते नरः । ब्रह्महत्यादिकं चापि स्त्रीवधाद्वापि यद्भवेत्
ajñānājjñānatovāpi yatpāpaṃ kurute naraḥ | brahmahatyādikaṃ cāpi strīvadhādvāpi yadbhavet
Sama ada kerana kejahilan atau dengan sengaja, apa jua dosa yang dilakukan manusia—baik pembunuhan brāhmaṇa dan seumpamanya, mahupun pembunuhan seorang wanita—apa pun kesalahan yang timbul demikian;
Brahmā (contextual continuation)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Yājñavalkya
Scene: A didactic tableau: the speaker enumerates sins; shadowy figures representing transgressions fade as a luminous Śiva-symbol (liṅga/temple) appears, indicating the coming remedy.
FAQs
Pāpa binds whether done knowingly or in ignorance; therefore dharma provides purificatory paths rooted in devotion and sacred place-merit.
The verse introduces the scope of sins addressed; the kṣetra praised for destroying such faults is specified in the subsequent verses.
No separate rite is named here; it frames the kinds of pāpa that the next instruction (liṅga-sthāpanā in a holy kṣetra) is said to remove.