Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23
पंचपंचाद्भुतं गेहं को विजानाति वा द्विजः । बहुरूपां स्त्रियं कर्तुमेकरूपां च वत्ति कः
paṃcapaṃcādbhutaṃ gehaṃ ko vijānāti vā dvijaḥ | bahurūpāṃ striyaṃ kartumekarūpāṃ ca vatti kaḥ
أيُّ مُولودٍ مرّتَين يعرف حقًّا «البيت» العجيب ذي الخمسة والخمسة؟ ومن ذا الذي يعلم كيف يجعل المرأةَ ذاتَ الأشكال الكثيرة ذاتَ شكلٍ واحدٍ (ثابتٍ وفريد)؟
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced); riddle-like questions to test depth of knowledge
Scene: A contemplative sage poses riddling questions: a symbolic ‘house’ with ten apertures (five-and-five) and a many-formed feminine figure (mind/prakṛti) shifting shapes, while a single steady flame represents one-pointedness.
FAQs
Learning includes insight into symbolic teachings—mastery that can unify what is scattered and many-formed.
None; the verse uses metaphor and questioning rather than tīrtha-māhātmya.
No explicit rite; it functions as a parīkṣā (test) of interpretive and spiritual understanding.