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
எங்கு வைஷ்ணவ விரதம் இல்லை, அங்கு நல்ல நாடும் பழிக்கத்தக்கதாகும்; கலியுகத்தில் எங்கு பகவத பக்தர்கள் உள்ளார்களோ, அங்கு தீய நாடும் புண்ணியமடையும்।
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.