Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68
सप्तधातुमयी भूततनौ पापानि यानि वै । केशेषु तानि तिष्ठंति वपनाद्यांति तान्यपि
saptadhātumayī bhūtatanau pāpāni yāni vai | keśeṣu tāni tiṣṭhaṃti vapanādyāṃti tānyapi
سات دھاتوں سے بنی ہوئی اس جسمانی ہستی میں جو گناہ ہوتے ہیں وہ بالوں میں ٹھہر جاتے ہیں؛ اور سر منڈانے سے وہ بھی دور ہو جاتے ہیں۔
Skanda
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical frame; not explicit here)
Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī sits near a ghāṭa as a barber performs vapanā; the Gaṅgā flows behind, with temple spires and lamps, suggesting ritual purification before sacred bathing.
FAQs
Purification is expressed through bodily symbolism: sins are said to cling even to hair, and ritual acts can signify their removal.
Prayāga is the implied tīrtha-context for these purificatory acts within this adhyāya.
Vapana (shaving/tonsure) is mentioned as a purificatory act.