Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51
कृत्वाप्यघान्येव महांत्यपीह धर्मेश्वरार्चां सकृदेव कुर्वन् । कुतो बिभेति प्रियबंधुरेव तव त्वदीयार्चित लिंगभक्तः
kṛtvāpyaghānyeva mahāṃtyapīha dharmeśvarārcāṃ sakṛdeva kurvan | kuto bibheti priyabaṃdhureva tava tvadīyārcita liṃgabhaktaḥ
इह महान्त्यप्यघानि कृत्वा यो धर्मेश्वरार्चां सकृदेव करोति, स कुतो बिभेति? स त्वदीयार्चितलिङ्गभक्तः प्रियबन्धुरिव भवति।
Śiva (deduced, addressing Dharma)
Tirtha: Dharmeśvara (liṅga)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Dharma (Dharmarāja)
Scene: A repentant sinner performs a single worship of Dharmeśvara; fear dissolves; Dharma regards him as a dear kinsman due to devotion to the liṅga associated with Dharma’s own worship.
FAQs
Even a single act of sincere worship can transform the sinner’s destiny into fearlessness through Śiva’s grace.
The Dharmeśvara shrine in Kāśī (within the Dharma-pīṭha context of this chapter).
Performing dharmeśvarārcā (worship of Dharmeśvara) even once.