Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25
सुदेशोऽपि भवेन्निंद्यो यत्र नो वैष्णवा व्रतम् । कुदेशोऽपि भवेत्पुण्यो यत्र भागवताः कलौ
sudeśo'pi bhavenniṃdyo yatra no vaiṣṇavā vratam | kudeśo'pi bhavetpuṇyo yatra bhāgavatāḥ kalau
Até uma “boa terra” torna-se censurável onde não há observância vaiṣṇava; e até uma “má terra” torna-se meritória na era de Kali onde há devotos Bhāgavata.
Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purāṇa context within Māhātmya narration)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Two landscapes: a wealthy city with empty temples and no vrata signs labeled ‘nindya’; a humble hamlet with Bhāgavatas singing, tulasī courtyards, and Ekādaśī banners labeled ‘puṇya’.
FAQs
In Kali-yuga, the presence of genuine devotees and their observances is the decisive sign of sanctity, outweighing outward prestige of a region.
Dvārakā’s devotional ethos is the context; the verse generalizes the principle to all lands in Kali-yuga.
Vaiṣṇava-vrata (devotional vows/discipline), and association with Bhāgavata devotees.