Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79
राजोवाच । तदर्थमपि मे ब्रूहि प्रायश्चित्तं मुनीश्वर । कदाचिद्भक्षणं मे स्यात्तांबूलस्य तथाविधम्
rājovāca | tadarthamapi me brūhi prāyaścittaṃ munīśvara | kadācidbhakṣaṇaṃ me syāttāṃbūlasya tathāvidham
রাজা বললেন—হে মুনীশ্বর! সেই কারণেই আমাকে প্রায়শ্চিত্ত বলুন; কখনও কখনও আমার দ্বারা তেমন অনুচিত তাম্বূল-ভক্ষণ হয়ে যায়।
Rājā (the king)
Listener: Munīśvara (sage)
Scene: The king rises slightly from his seat, hands folded, asking the sage for expiation; the sage sits composed, ready to instruct; a small betel box (tāmbūla-pātra) appears as a prop.
FAQs
Dharma includes remedies: when faults occur, sincere seeking of prāyaścitta restores inner order and purity.
No specific tīrtha is named in this line; it prepares for a purificatory instruction typical of Tīrthamāhātmya chapters.
The king requests prāyaścitta for an improper tāmbūla act; details are given in the subsequent verses.