Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 165
सुरेषु सर्वेषु वसामि चाहं विप्रेषु शास्त्रार्थरतेषु चाहम् । साध्वीषु नारीषु तथा वसामि विना गुणान्नास्मि वसामि कुत्रचित्
sureṣu sarveṣu vasāmi cāhaṃ vipreṣu śāstrārtharateṣu cāham | sādhvīṣu nārīṣu tathā vasāmi vinā guṇānnāsmi vasāmi kutracit
“I dwell in all the Devas; I dwell also in Brahmins devoted to the meanings of the śāstras. Likewise I dwell in virtuous women. But without virtues, I do not dwell anywhere at all.”
Śakti personified (the woman)
Scene: An allegorical tableau: a radiant presence (Dharma/Śrī/Devī as ‘indwelling’) moving among devas, a seated brāhmaṇa expounding śāstra-artha, and a sādhvī woman with calm composure; the same presence turns away from a figure lacking virtues, leaving them in dimness.
FAQs
Divine power abides where virtues and dharma are present—among the devas, the scripturally grounded, and the ethically pure.
No site is specified; the focus is on inner sacred geography—guṇa and dharma as the true abode of śakti.
No explicit ritual is given; the implied discipline is cultivation of guṇas through śāstra-study and righteous conduct.