Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20
एतद्गुह्यतमं देवि मम नित्यव्यवस्थितम् । न कस्याऽपि मयाख्यातं देवेंद्रस्यापि पृच्छतः
etadguhyatamaṃ devi mama nityavyavasthitam | na kasyā'pi mayākhyātaṃ deveṃdrasyāpi pṛcchataḥ
Wahai Dewi, inilah ajaran rahasia terdalamku, yang senantiasa teguh sebagai kebenaran abadi. Aku tidak pernah mengungkapkannya kepada siapa pun—bahkan ketika Indra, raja para dewa, memintanya dariku.
Śiva (deduced from the Śaiva tīrtha-context and address to Devī)
Listener: Devī
Scene: An intimate divine dialogue: Śiva-like teacher seated in a secluded grove or temple precinct, Devī listening attentively; the mood is confidential, with Indra’s unfulfilled request implied in the background as a narrative contrast.
FAQs
Sacred knowledge about tīrthas is portrayed as a guarded revelation, emphasizing reverence, readiness, and the transformative power of holy places.
No single tīrtha is named yet; the verse introduces a confidential teaching that will enumerate and glorify multiple tīrthas.
None explicitly; the focus is on the secrecy and authority of the forthcoming tīrtha-teaching.