Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60
वचसा मनसा चैव जिह्वया करश्रोत्रकैः । दांतमाहुर्हि सत्तीर्थं काकतीर्थमतः परम्
vacasā manasā caiva jihvayā karaśrotrakaiḥ | dāṃtamāhurhi sattīrthaṃ kākatīrthamataḥ param
வாக்கு, மனம், நாவு, கை, செவி—இவற்றின் அடக்கம் தான் உண்மையான ‘சத்-தீர்த்தம்’ எனப் போற்றப்படுகிறது; அதற்கு அப்பால் இருப்பது ‘காக-தீர்த்தம்’ மட்டுமே, தாழ்ந்தும் அசுத்தமும் ஆன அடைக்கலம்।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Sat-tīrtha (inner tīrtha of self-control) contrasted with Kāka-tīrtha (debased resort)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A pilgrim stands at a riverbank while a luminous inner ‘ford’ appears at the heart; five senses are depicted as gates being restrained; a crow hovers near muddy water while a swan glides on clear water, symbolizing kāka vs haṃsa.
FAQs
True pilgrimage is inner restraint—controlling speech, mind, and senses—rather than merely seeking external holy places.
No geographic tīrtha is named; ‘sat-tīrtha’ is defined as self-control itself.
The implied practice is sense-restraint (yama/niyama-like discipline), not a specific ceremonial ritual.