Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 138
पंच तीर्थानि कुरुते मुच्यते पंचपातकैः । इत्याद्युक्तं बहुविधं तीर्थमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम्
paṃca tīrthāni kurute mucyate paṃcapātakaiḥ | ityādyuktaṃ bahuvidhaṃ tīrthamāhātmyamuttamam
அவன் ஐந்து தீர்த்தங்களின் பலனை அடைந்து, ஐந்து மகாபாதகங்களிலிருந்தும் விடுபடுகிறான். இவ்வாறு பலவிதமாக இந்த பரம தீர்த்தத்தின் உயர்ந்த மஹாத்மியம் உரைக்கப்படுகிறது।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A pilgrim at a sanctified ford/ghāṭa receives the invisible fruit of ‘five tīrthas’; above, symbolic five streams of light dissolve dark stains representing the five great sins.
FAQs
Pilgrimage is transformative: tīrtha-contact is presented as purifying even grave karmic burdens when approached with dhārmic intent.
The tīrtha under discussion in this passage: Mahī–Sāgara Saṅgama.
General tīrtha-sevana (pilgrimage practice) whose effect is described as granting five tīrtha-fruits and removing pañca-pātaka.