Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65
मानुष्यं दुर्लभं प्राप्य विद्युत्संपातचंचलम् । गंगां यः सेवते सोत्र बुद्धेः पारं परं गतः
mānuṣyaṃ durlabhaṃ prāpya vidyutsaṃpātacaṃcalam | gaṃgāṃ yaḥ sevate sotra buddheḥ pāraṃ paraṃ gataḥ
یہ انسانی جنم—جو نہایت نایاب اور بجلی کی چمک کی طرح ناپائیدار ہے—پا کر جو یہاں گنگا کی سیوا کرتا ہے، وہ عام فہم کی دور پار کی حد سے بھی آگے گزر جاتا ہے۔
Skanda
Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī)
Type: ghat
Listener: Sages/pilgrims
Scene: A lightning flash in a dark monsoon sky over Kāśī; below, a devotee performs Gaṅgā-sevā at the ghat—lighting lamps, offering water—while a symbolic ‘shore crossing’ motif shows a boat moving from ignorance to luminous calm.
FAQs
Because life is brief and rare, one should prioritize Gaṅgā-sevā; it elevates a person beyond merely intellectual religion toward realized spiritual good.
Gaṅgā in Kāśī—presented as the most worthwhile focus of devotion within fragile human life.
Sevā (reverent service) of Gaṅgā—typically including visiting, bathing, offering prayers, and honoring the tīrtha.