Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 72
दृष्ट्वा तदैव सहसा वनमालयान्विता लक्ष्मीर्गजादवततार सुविस्मयंती । कंठे ससर्ज पुरुषस्य परस्य विष्णोर्मालां श्रिया विरचितां भ्रमरैरुपेताम्
dṛṣṭvā tadaiva sahasā vanamālayānvitā lakṣmīrgajādavatatāra suvismayaṃtī | kaṃṭhe sasarja puruṣasya parasya viṣṇormālāṃ śriyā viracitāṃ bhramarairupetām
Le voyant, Lakṣmī—parée d’une guirlande sylvestre—descendit aussitôt de l’éléphant, saisie d’un merveilleux étonnement; puis elle déposa au cou de la Personne suprême, Viṣṇu, une guirlande façonnée par la splendeur, entourée d’abeilles.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣi audience
Scene: Lakṣmī, wearing a vana-mālā, descends swiftly from an elephant in amazement and places a splendid bee-attended garland around Viṣṇu’s neck; the moment is ceremonial and fragrant, with motion and grace.
FAQs
The soul’s recognition of the Supreme culminates in loving offering—symbolized by Lakṣmī’s garlanding of Viṣṇu.
The Kedāra sacred region is the textual frame; the divine episode enhances the Mahātmya tone of Kedārakhaṇḍa.
A symbolic rite is depicted: mālā-dāna (offering/placing a garland) as an act of devotion and acceptance.