Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58
शक्रतीर्थमिति ख्यातं चतुर्थं बालमण्डनम् । तत्र स्नात्वा च पंचाहं शक्रेश्वरमवेक्ष्य च । आश्विनस्य सितेऽष्टम्यां सर्वेषां लभते फलम्
śakratīrthamiti khyātaṃ caturthaṃ bālamaṇḍanam | tatra snātvā ca paṃcāhaṃ śakreśvaramavekṣya ca | āśvinasya site'ṣṭamyāṃ sarveṣāṃ labhate phalam
Le quatrième tīrtha est renommé Śakratīrtha, le « Bālamaṇḍana » (qui pare et bénit la jeunesse). Celui qui s’y baigne cinq jours et contemple Śakreśvara (Śiva), au huitième tithi de la quinzaine claire d’Āśvina obtient le fruit de tous les mérites.
Viśvāmitra (contextual)
Tirtha: Śakratīrtha (Bālamaṇḍana)
Type: ghat
Scene: A temple tank labeled Śakratīrtha where pilgrims bathe for five consecutive days; children are ceremonially adorned (bālamaṇḍana) while elders offer lamps; the Śakreśvara liṅga shrine stands nearby with Indra/Śakra iconography (vajra, elephants) subtly present.
FAQs
Pilgrimage disciplines (multi-day snāna) combined with Śiva-darśana, performed on an auspicious tithi, are portrayed as yielding comprehensive religious merit.
Śakratīrtha and its presiding Śiva, Śakreśvara, within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-list.
Bathing at Śakratīrtha for five days and taking darśana of Śakreśvara, especially on Āśvina bright aṣṭamī.