Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 120
मुधा जातिविकल्पोयं लोकेषु परिकल्प्यते । मानुष्ये सति सामान्ये कोधमः कोथ चोत्तमः
mudhā jātivikalpoyaṃ lokeṣu parikalpyate | mānuṣye sati sāmānye kodhamaḥ kotha cottamaḥ
ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ‘ଜାତି-ଭେଦ’ର ଏହି ଧାରଣା ବ୍ୟର୍ଥରେ କଳ୍ପିତ। ଯେତେବେଳେ ମାନବତ୍ୱ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କରେ ସାଧାରଣ, ତେବେ ଏଠାରେ କିଏ ଅଧମ, କିଏ ଉତ୍ତମ?
Skanda (deduced; Kāśī-khaṇḍa often Skanda → Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (frame)
Scene: On a Kāśī ghāṭ, diverse pilgrims of different communities stand together receiving the same teaching and blessing; a sage gestures to the shared ‘mānuṣya’ nature while caste markers fade into the background as illusory labels.
FAQs
Human dignity is shared; spiritual worth is not established by imagined birth-based hierarchies.
The textual setting is Kāśī-khaṇḍa (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī), but the verse itself is a universal moral reflection.
None; it offers a dharmic critique of social pride and false distinctions.