Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7
सर्वलिंगोद्भवं चैव फलं दर्शनसंभवम् । जायते नात्र संदेह इत्युवाच हरः स्वयम्
sarvaliṃgodbhavaṃ caiva phalaṃ darśanasaṃbhavam | jāyate nātra saṃdeha ityuvāca haraḥ svayam
Die Frucht, die aus der heiligen Schau (darśana) erwächst, ist wahrlich die Frucht, die aus allen Liṅgas geboren wird. Daran gibt es keinen Zweifel—so verkündete Hara (Śiva) selbst.
Sūta (quoting Śiva/Hara)
Listener: Ṛṣis (Naimiṣāraṇya assembly, typical frame)
Scene: Śiva (Hara) proclaiming a phala-śruti to assembled sages: the merit of darśana equaling the fruit of all Liṅgas; a central Liṅga radiates light, suggesting Śiva’s presence in every Liṅga.
FAQs
Sacred darśana, when connected to a true tīrtha and Śiva’s presence, is itself transformative and grants comprehensive merit.
The tīrtha of Adhyāya 266 centered on Maṃkaṇeśvara and related liṅgas, where darśana is said to yield ‘all-liṅga’ fruit.
The emphasis is on darśana (reverent viewing/encounter) of the liṅga(s); the broader vrata context is Śivarātri.