Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 84
पश्चिमेन स्थितं तत्र शम्भोरायतनस्य तु । स मेरोर्दक्षिणे पादे नखस्तु परिकीर्तितः
paścimena sthitaṃ tatra śambhorāyatanasya tu | sa merordakṣiṇe pāde nakhastu parikīrtitaḥ
তাত শম্ভুৰ আয়তনৰ পশ্চিমে এক পবিত্ৰ চিহ্ন অৱস্থিত; সেয়া মেৰুৰ দক্ষিণ পাদত থকা ‘নখ’ বুলি খ্যাত।
Sūta (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)
Tirtha: Meru-dakṣiṇa-pāda-nakha (sacred mark west of Śambhu’s shrine)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A Śiva shrine on the right; to its west a distinctive stone/mark protrudes from earth, revered as Meru’s ‘southern foot-nail’; sages point to it; the background subtly shows a visionary Meru silhouette aligning with the marker.
FAQs
Sacred sites mirror cosmic geography; local landmarks are interpreted as parts of the divine cosmic body (Meru symbolism).
A revered landmark west of Śambhu’s shrine in Prabhāsakṣetra, identified with Meru’s southern foot-nail.
No explicit rite is stated; the verse provides pilgrimage topography for locating a sanctified spot.