Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56
एवमुच्चरमाणं मां प्रशस्याहापि पद्मभूः । साध्वेतन्नारदेनोक्तं धर्मैतद्वचनं कुरु । सम्मानय गुहं चापि गुहः स्वामी यतो हि नः । एवमुक्ते ब्रह्मणा च धर्मो वचनमब्रवीत्
evamuccaramāṇaṃ māṃ praśasyāhāpi padmabhūḥ | sādhvetannāradenoktaṃ dharmaitadvacanaṃ kuru | sammānaya guhaṃ cāpi guhaḥ svāmī yato hi naḥ | evamukte brahmaṇā ca dharmo vacanamabravīt
Ketika aku mengucapkan demikian, Padmabhū (Brahmā) memujiku dan berkata: “Sungguh baik—Nārada telah berkata benar. Wahai Dharma, laksanakanlah sabda ini. Dan hormatilah pula Guha, sebab Guha sungguh Tuhan kami.” Setelah Brahmā berkata demikian, Dharma pun menjawab dengan kata-kata ini.
Narrator within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa tradition (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa), reporting Brahmā’s instruction and Dharma’s response
Tirtha: Stambhatīrtha (introduced in subsequent verses)
Listener: Brahmā, Dharma, and the divine assembly (with Nārada as catalyst)
Scene: A celestial sabhā: Brahmā (Padmabhū) seated on a lotus, addressing Dharma personified; Nārada present; Skanda/Guha’s eminence acknowledged, with attendants and subtle aura of command.
FAQs
Divine order (Dharma) is guided by higher counsel (Brahmā and Nārada), and honoring Skanda/Guha is affirmed as rightful devotion.
The verse sets the narrative authority that leads into Stambhatīrtha’s proclamation and merit (phala-śruti) later in the chapter.
The prescription is ‘sammānaya’—to honor Guha (Skanda); no specific vrata details are in this verse.