Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 112
समेताः कुत्र यास्याम इति ब्रूत द्विजोत्तमाः । यो गृहे कार्त्तिकीं कुर्यात्स्नानदानादिवर्जितः
sametāḥ kutra yāsyāma iti brūta dvijottamāḥ | yo gṛhe kārttikīṃ kuryātsnānadānādivarjitaḥ
“اے برہمنوں کے برتر لوگو! سب جمع ہو کر بتاؤ—ہم کہاں جائیں؟ کیونکہ جو شخص گھر ہی میں ماہِ کارتک کا انُشٹھان کرے مگر اسنان، دان وغیرہ سے محروم رہے…”
A king (nṛpa/pārthiva), addressing Brahmins (dvijottamāḥ) in the Revā-khaṇḍa narrative
Tirtha: Unspecified ‘sarva-guṇa’ tīrtha to be chosen (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: The king, with brāhmaṇas assembled, asks decisively where to go; the subtext warns against a home-bound Kārttika lacking bathing and charity.
FAQs
Kārttika observance is meant to be supported by concrete dharmic acts—especially snāna (sacred bathing) and dāna (charity)—not performed as a mere formality.
The verse sets up a pilgrimage query; the specific tīrtha is named in subsequent verses (Bhāreśvara on the Revā/Narmadā).
The necessity of snāna (ritual bathing) and dāna (charitable giving) as integral supports of the Kārttika observance.