Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 63
आवाहनम् । सहस्रकिरण वरद जीवनरूप ते नमः । इति सांनिध्यकरणम् ओंवषट् इत्युच्चार्य सूर्यस्य चरणयुगलं पश्यन् भुवि पद्म्यां पात्रीं निर्वापयेत् पाद्यं तदुच्यते । एवं पाद्यं दत्त्वा बद्धांजलिः सुस्वागतमिति कुर्यात् । स्वागतं भगवन्नेहि मम प्रसादं विधाय आस्यताम् । इह गृहाण पूजां च प्रसादं च धिया कुरु । तिष्ठ त्वं तावदत्रैव यावत्पूजां करोम्यहम्
āvāhanam | sahasrakiraṇa varada jīvanarūpa te namaḥ | iti sāṃnidhyakaraṇam oṃvaṣaṭ ityuccārya sūryasya caraṇayugalaṃ paśyan bhuvi padmyāṃ pātrīṃ nirvāpayet pādyaṃ taducyate | evaṃ pādyaṃ dattvā baddhāṃjaliḥ susvāgatamiti kuryāt | svāgataṃ bhagavannehi mama prasādaṃ vidhāya āsyatām | iha gṛhāṇa pūjāṃ ca prasādaṃ ca dhiyā kuru | tiṣṭha tvaṃ tāvadatraiva yāvatpūjāṃ karomyaham
Invocation (āvāhana): “O thousand-rayed One, bestower of boons, whose very form is life—salutations to You.” Thus one establishes the deity’s presence. Then, uttering “Oṃ vaṣaṭ,” and gazing upon the pair of Sūrya’s feet, one pours water into a lotus-marked vessel placed upon the ground—this is called pādya, the water for washing the feet. Having offered the pādya, with joined palms one should say, “Welcome.” “Welcome, O Bhagavān; come—grant me Your grace and be seated. Accept here this worship and this offering; bestow favor with a benevolent mind. Remain here for as long as I perform the pūjā.”
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)
Tirtha: Sūrya-pūjā (āvāhana with pādya)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Close-up ritual choreography: a lotus-emblazoned vessel on the ground; the devotee gazes at Sūrya’s feet (symbolic/visualized), utters ‘Oṃ vaṣaṭ’, pours pādya, then folds hands and speaks words of welcome, inviting the deity to be seated and remain for the duration of worship.
FAQs
True worship begins by inviting the deity with reverence, then offering hospitality (welcome, foot-water, seat) as one would to an honored guest.
No specific tīrtha is named; the passage teaches a portable, orthodox procedure for Sūrya worship.
Perform āvāhana with a mantra, utter “Oṃ vaṣaṭ,” offer pādya into a lotus-marked vessel, then verbally welcome and request Sūrya to remain during the pūjā.