Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2
यस्तान्पूजयते भक्त्या मानुषो भक्तितस्ततः । स यास्यति परं स्थानं यज्ञैरपि सुदुर्लभम्
yastānpūjayate bhaktyā mānuṣo bhaktitastataḥ | sa yāsyati paraṃ sthānaṃ yajñairapi sudurlabham
જે મનુષ્ય તે દેવતાઓની ભક્તિપૂર્વક પૂજા કરે છે, તે એ જ ભક્તિના ફળથી પરમ ધામને પામે છે, જે યજ્ઞોથી પણ અતિ દુર્લભ છે.
Sūta (continuing narration)
Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (tri-deity worship)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Dvijottamāḥ
Scene: A devotee offers flowers and lamp to three deities in the kṣetra; above, a luminous ‘parama-sthāna’ is symbolized as a radiant gateway/lotus, indicating the fruit of devotion beyond sacrifice.
FAQs
Devotional worship—especially in a sanctified setting—is portrayed as a direct means to the highest spiritual attainment, beyond mere ritual sacrifice.
The merit is stated in the ongoing kṣetra narrative tied to Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra within the Nāgara Khaṇḍa.
Pūjā (devotional worship) of the installed deities; the emphasis is on bhakti as the efficacious principle.