Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55
सदैव नक्ते पूजोक्ता सदा नक्ते तु भोजनम् । नक्त एव हि होमोऽयं नक्त एव क्षमापनम्
sadaiva nakte pūjoktā sadā nakte tu bhojanam | nakta eva hi homo'yaṃ nakta eva kṣamāpanam
礼拝は夜にのみ定められ、食事もまた常に夜に取るべきである。まことにこのホーマは夜に行い、赦しを乞う作法も夜に行う。
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa typically Skanda instructing Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A quiet night in Kāśī: devotee performs pūjā by lamplight, later offers homa; a simple night meal awaits; finally the devotee bows in kṣamā-prārthanā, hands folded, eyes lowered.
FAQs
Spiritual discipline is strengthened by clear constraints—timing, restraint, and accountability through atonement.
The instruction belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s vrata tradition associated with Kāśī.
Nakta observance: pūjā, meal, homa, and kṣamāpanā are all to be performed at night.