Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 59
ततः करेणुमानीय वडवां वा सुमध्यमे । गौरीचतुष्टयं तच्च समारोप्य तथोपरि
tataḥ kareṇumānīya vaḍavāṃ vā sumadhyame | gaurīcatuṣṭayaṃ tacca samāropya tathopari
Kemudian, wahai yang berpinggang elok, dengan membawa seekor gajah betina—atau jika tidak, seekor kuda betina—hendaknya menempatkan di atasnya rangkaian empat Gaurī itu, menatanya dengan tepat di bagian atas.
Lakṣmī (contextual instruction)
Type: kshetra
Listener: suma-dhyamā (fair-waisted lady)
Scene: A ceremonial elephant (or mare) is led forward, draped in cloth and bells; atop it is placed a carefully arranged quartet of Gaurī icons, while attendants steady the platform and priests guide the rite.
FAQs
The rite externalizes reverence through orderly, public devotion—treating the Goddess’s forms with ceremonial honor.
The immediate context is a water-site ritual sequence (later verses mention river/pond/tank), indicating a tīrtha setting though unnamed here.
Bring a female elephant or a mare and ceremonially place the ‘four Gaurīs’ upon it for the next ritual act.