Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 50
राजोवाच । कानि चत्वारि तीर्थानि तत्र मुख्यानि सन्मुने । येषु स्नातो नरः सम्यक्सर्वेषां लभते फलम्
rājovāca | kāni catvāri tīrthāni tatra mukhyāni sanmune | yeṣu snāto naraḥ samyaksarveṣāṃ labhate phalam
พระราชาตรัสว่า: ข้าแต่มุนีผู้ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ที่นั่นมีตีรถะสำคัญสี่แห่งใดบ้าง ซึ่งเมื่อมนุษย์อาบน้ำชำระอย่างถูกต้องแล้ว ย่อมได้ผลบุญแห่งตีรถะทั้งปวง?
Rājā (King)
Tirtha: Four ‘mukhya tīrthas’ (names enumerated in subsequent verses; first is Kūpikā, second Śaṅkha-tīrtha)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Viśvāmitra
Scene: A king, hands folded, questions sage Viśvāmitra in an āśrama setting about the four chief tīrthas; palm-leaf maps or symbolic river/well motifs indicate pilgrimage geography.
FAQs
Sincere inquiry into dharma and pilgrimage practice is itself a valued step toward right action.
The verse introduces (and requests) the names of the four principal tīrthas of the region, detailed in the following verses.
Snāna performed ‘samyak’ (properly, with due observance) to gain comprehensive merit.