Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34
चरमेपि वयोभागे स्वःसिंधुं यो निषेवते । कृत्वाप्येनांसि बहुशः सोपि यायाच्छुभां गतिम्
caramepi vayobhāge svaḥsiṃdhuṃ yo niṣevate | kṛtvāpyenāṃsi bahuśaḥ sopi yāyācchubhāṃ gatim
Dẫu ở giai đoạn cuối đời, ai nương tựa và phụng sự dòng sông trời là Hằng Hà, tuy đã nhiều lần tạo tội, vẫn đạt đến cảnh giới cát tường.
Skanda (deduced)
Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Svarga-sindhu)
Type: kshetra
Listener: null
Scene: An aged pilgrim leaning on a staff reaches the Gaṅgā steps; attendants help him bathe; the river shines like a celestial stream, suggesting release from accumulated sins.
FAQs
No one is beyond hope: turning to Gaṅgā with service and refuge even late in life is portrayed as transformative and salvific.
Gaṅgā, called the ‘svah-sindhu’ (heavenly river), in the Kāśī pilgrimage frame.
Niṣevana/sevā—resorting to Gaṅgā through attendance, reverence, and tīrtha practice (commonly snāna, japa, and worship).