Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1
वाण्युवाच । बिल्वपत्रस्य माहात्म्यं कथितुं नैव शक्यते । तवोद्देशेन वक्ष्यामि महेन्द्र शृणु तत्त्वतः
vāṇyuvāca | bilvapatrasya māhātmyaṃ kathituṃ naiva śakyate | tavoddeśena vakṣyāmi mahendra śṛṇu tattvataḥ
Vāṇī bersabda: “Kemuliaan daun Bilva sungguh tak mungkin diuraikan sepenuhnya. Namun demi engkau, wahai Mahendra, akan kujelaskan—dengarkan hakikatnya dengan sebenar-benarnya.”
Vāṇī (Sarasvatī)
Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (chapter context)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Mahendra (Indra)
Scene: Vāṇī (Sarasvatī) addresses Mahendra (Indra), seated in a luminous assembly; in her hand a sprig of bilva, while a Śiva-liṅga or Śaiva shrine is hinted in the background to foreshadow ritual use.
FAQs
Some sacred merits are said to be immeasurable; the tradition still transmits them compassionately for the listener’s uplift.
This opening verse introduces Bilva-patra glory; the specific site context is not stated in the verse itself.
No specific rite yet—this is the preface to instructions about Bilva leaf merit (commonly tied to offerings in worship).
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