Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17
प्राह तान्बालरूपांश्च बालरूपी महेश्वरः । स्वर्गेषु पंचविशानां पातालेषु च तावताम्
prāha tānbālarūpāṃśca bālarūpī maheśvaraḥ | svargeṣu paṃcaviśānāṃ pātāleṣu ca tāvatām
وخاطب مهيشڤارا، وهو أيضًا في هيئة طفل، تلك الهيئات الطفولية قائلاً: «في السماوات يكون مقامٌ لخمسةٍ وعشرين منكم، وفي العوالم السفلى (باتالا) كذلك، بالعدد نفسه.»
Bāla-Maheśvara (Śiva in child form)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Child-formed Maheśvara addresses a circle of child-forms, assigning them stations in the heavens and netherworlds; the scene feels like a cosmic court where guardians receive their jurisdictions.
FAQs
Protection of dharma is organized across all realms; divine order extends from heaven to the netherworlds.
No specific tīrtha; the verse describes cosmic placement of guardians.
None.