Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85
श्रुत्वाध्यायमिमं पुण्यं नरो नियतमानसः । भूतैः प्रेतैः पिशाचैश्च कदाचिन्नाभिभूयते
śrutvādhyāyamimaṃ puṇyaṃ naro niyatamānasaḥ | bhūtaiḥ pretaiḥ piśācaiśca kadācinnābhibhūyate
இந்தப் புண்ணிய அத்தியாயத்தைச் செவிமடுத்த கட்டுப்பட்ட மனத்தையுடையவன், எந்நேரமும் பூதம், பிரேதம், பிசாசு முதலியவற்றால் வெல்லப்படான்।
Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame) / Kumbhayoni (Agastya) in internal dialogue context
Scene: A disciplined devotee listens to a sacred recitation in Kāśī; shadowy bhūtas/pretas/piśācas recoil at the sound of the māhātmya, while Śiva’s protective aura surrounds the listener.
FAQs
Hearing sacred Purāṇic teaching with a disciplined mind grants protective spiritual merit and inner steadiness.
The verse occurs in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, aligning its promised protection with the sanctity of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).
Śravaṇa (devout listening) of the holy chapter; no separate dāna/snānā rule is stated here.