Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27
ब्रवीच्चार्बुदं नागं वरं वरय सुव्रत । परितुष्टोऽस्मि ते भद्र कर्मणानेन पन्नग
bravīccārbudaṃ nāgaṃ varaṃ varaya suvrata | parituṣṭo'smi te bhadra karmaṇānena pannaga
Er sprach zu Arbuda, dem Nāga: „Wähle eine Gabe, o du Standhafter im Gelübde. Ich bin mit dir zufrieden, o edle Schlange, durch diese deine Tat.“
Muni-puṃgava (foremost sage; later identified as Vasiṣṭha by context)
Tirtha: Arbuda (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: The foremost sage addresses Arbuda the nāga with affection and authority, offering a boon; Arbuda stands/coils in reverence, the cave and mountain aura framing the sacred exchange.
FAQs
Selfless action that benefits the righteous draws immediate grace; the sage’s satisfaction becomes the seed of future sacred merit.
The Arbuda mountain setting where the sage’s boon will establish the fame of Nāga-tīrtha.
No ritual yet; the verse introduces the boon-request that will define the tīrtha’s name and bathing fruits.