Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33
अच्छावाको मरीचिश्च ग्रावस्तुद्गालवो मुनिः । पुलस्त्यश्च तथा ऽध्वर्युः प्रस्थातात्रिश्च संस्थितः
acchāvāko marīciśca grāvastudgālavo muniḥ | pulastyaśca tathā 'dhvaryuḥ prasthātātriśca saṃsthitaḥ
«Marīci officia comme Acchāvāka ; le sage Gālava comme Grāvastut ; Pulastya comme Adhvaryu ; et Atri fut établi comme Prasthātṛ.»
Sūta
Type: kshetra
Scene: A Vedic yajña in a consecrated field: Marīci as Acchāvāka, Gālava as Grāvastut, Pulastya as Adhvaryu, and Atri as Prasthātṛ, each seated at their designated stations around the vedi with implements and ladles, fire blazing at center.
FAQs
The Purāṇa frames yajña as an ordered sacred science—each role is distinct, and harmony comes from correct placement of each function.
This occurs in Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the verse itself is about the yajña officiants, not the tīrtha’s name.
Designation of multiple officiant posts (Acchāvāka, Grāvastut, Adhvaryu, Prasthātṛ) to specific sages.