Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20
सर्वैर्भवद्भिः संहत्य मुख्यस्त्वेकः प्रकीर्त्यताम् । तस्मै चार्घं प्रयच्छामि नैवं मामनयः स्पृशेत्
sarvairbhavadbhiḥ saṃhatya mukhyastvekaḥ prakīrtyatām | tasmai cārghaṃ prayacchāmi naivaṃ māmanayaḥ spṛśet
«Vous tous, réunis, proclamez l’unique premier parmi vous. À lui j’offrirai cet argha, afin qu’aucune inconvenance ne me touche en cet acte.»
Brahmā
Listener: (Contextual) assembled sages
Scene: A respectful assembly where personified tīrthas stand as radiant sages/deities; the speaker holds an arghya vessel, requesting that one foremost be named to keep the rite faultless.
FAQs
Dharma values correctness in worship: offerings should be made with discernment to avoid ritual impropriety.
The verse is a procedure for identifying the chief tīrtha; the named site is not yet specified.
Declare the foremost recipient first, then offer argha to that one to maintain ritual propriety.