Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4
गयासप्तगुणं पुण्यं कथं तत्र प्रजायते । श्राद्धस्य किं विधानं तु के मंत्रास्तत्र के द्विजाः । एतन्मे कौतुकं देव यथावद्वक्तुमर्हसि
gayāsaptaguṇaṃ puṇyaṃ kathaṃ tatra prajāyate | śrāddhasya kiṃ vidhānaṃ tu ke maṃtrāstatra ke dvijāḥ | etanme kautukaṃ deva yathāvadvaktumarhasi
Wie entsteht dort Verdienst, siebenfach wie in Gayā? Wie ist die rechte Vorschrift für das Śrāddha; welche Mantras werden dort gesprochen, und welche Brāhmaṇas (Dvijas) sind zu beauftragen? Dies ist meine Frage, o Herr—würdige dich, es richtig zu erklären, wie es sich gehört.
Mahādevī (Pārvatī)
Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra (context of a śrāddha-tīrtha within it)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Īśvara (hearing Devī’s inquiry)
Scene: A goddess respectfully questions Īśvara about the sevenfold merit of Gayā at Prabhāsa, asking for śrāddha procedure, mantras, and the qualifications of brāhmaṇas; the setting evokes a sacred coastal kṣetra with ritual readiness.
FAQs
Ritual power depends on correct method, mantra, and worthy officiants, all anchored in śraddhā and scriptural clarity.
Goṣpada tīrtha is the site whose exceptional śrāddha merit is being investigated.
The verse asks for śrāddha-vidhi details: procedure, mantras, and the qualifications/selection of dvijas (priests).