Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 98
दत्त्वा दानानि भूरीणि मखानिष्ट्वा तु भूरिशः । चिरं तप्त्वाप्यरण्येषु स्वर्गैश्वर्यान्महीं पुनः
dattvā dānāni bhūrīṇi makhāniṣṭvā tu bhūriśaḥ | ciraṃ taptvāpyaraṇyeṣu svargaiśvaryānmahīṃ punaḥ
Kahit nagkaloob ng saganang mga dāna, nagsagawa ng maraming yajña, at nagtiis ng mahabang tapasya sa mga gubat, matapos lasapin ang maharlikang karangyaan ng Svarga, muling bumabalik ang nilalang sa lupa.
Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue convention)
Listener: Implied audience within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration
Scene: A visionary sequence: a donor-sacrificer-ascetic rises to a radiant svarga with celestial pleasures, then descends back to earth, illustrating punarāvṛtti; in the background, Kāśī’s Śiva-kṣetra stands as the implied alternative.
FAQs
Merit-driven rites can yield heaven, but heavenly results are impermanent; lasting freedom requires a higher liberative orientation.
In this verse the site is not named, but it continues the Maṇikarṇikā-māhātmya context of Kāśī Khaṇḍa, contrasting temporary svarga with superior tīrtha-based liberation.
Dāna (charity), makha/yajña (sacrifice), and tapas (austerity) are cited, along with their fruit of svarga followed by return.