Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25
स्वाध्यायस्तु जपः प्रोक्तः प्रणवाभ्यसनादिकः । शिवे ज्ञाने गुरौ भक्तिर्गुरुभक्तिरिति स्मृता
svādhyāyastu japaḥ proktaḥ praṇavābhyasanādikaḥ | śive jñāne gurau bhaktirgurubhaktiriti smṛtā
স্বাধ্যায়কে জপ বলা হয়েছে—প্রণব (ওঁ) অনুশীলন প্রভৃতি। শিবে, জ্ঞানে ও গুরুর প্রতি যে ভক্তি, তা ‘গুরুভক্তি’ নামে স্মৃত।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Scene: A guru seated beneath a tree or in a small maṭha instructs a disciple; a Śiva-liṅga nearby; the syllable Oṁ visualized as luminous script above, indicating praṇava-japa and svādhyāya.
FAQs
Sacred repetition (japa), especially of Oṃ, and devotion to Śiva, wisdom, and the guru form a core inner observance.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse emphasizes devotional-yogic practice.
Praṇava (Oṃ) practice and japa are prescribed as svādhyāya; devotion to guru and Śiva is prescribed as bhakti.