Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24
अनेनात्र चंदनादि दत्त्वा राजमाषतण्डुलमिश्रकाश्च चतुःषष्टिकृतभागान्वटकान्निवेद्य तावत्यो दीपिकास्तावन्ति पत्राणि पूगानि निवेद्य दण्डवत्प्रणम्य महास्तुतिमेतां जपेत्
anenātra caṃdanādi dattvā rājamāṣataṇḍulamiśrakāśca catuḥṣaṣṭikṛtabhāgānvaṭakānnivedya tāvatyo dīpikāstāvanti patrāṇi pūgāni nivedya daṇḍavatpraṇamya mahāstutimetāṃ japet
Aquí, valiéndote de este mantra, ofrece sándalo y demás ofrendas; presenta vaṭaka (tortas) hechas de una mezcla de frijol negro y arroz, divididas en sesenta y cuatro porciones; ofrece igual número de lámparas, y asimismo hojas y nueces de areca; luego, postrándote en daṇḍavat, recita este gran himno.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) prescribing the ritual (deduced)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A ritual table before a guardian shrine: sandal paste, 64 small cakes, 64 lamps in rows, betel leaves and areca nuts; devotee performs full prostration and begins chanting a hymn.
FAQs
Devotion is expressed through disciplined, counted offerings and humility—ritual order mirrors inner order and earns protective grace.
The instruction is general to Kṣetrapāla worship within sacred precincts; no single tīrtha is named in this verse.
Offer sandalwood; naivedya of black-gram-and-rice vaṭakas in 64 portions; offer an equal number of lamps, leaves, and areca-nuts; prostrate (daṇḍavat) and recite the great hymn.