Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19
कृते पापेऽनुतापो वै यस्य स्कन्द प्रजायते । रुद्राराधनतोऽन्यच्च प्रायश्तित्तं परं न हि
kṛte pāpe'nutāpo vai yasya skanda prajāyate | rudrārādhanato'nyacca prāyaśtittaṃ paraṃ na hi
ಹೇ ಸ್ಕಂದ, ಪಾಪ ಮಾಡಿದ ಬಳಿಕ ಯಾರಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಜವಾದ ಅನುತಾಪ ಉಂಟಾಗುತ್ತದೋ, ಅವನಿಗೆ ರುದ್ರಾರಾಧನೆಯಿಗಿಂತ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಪ್ರಾಯಶ್ಚಿತ್ತ ಮತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ।
Vāsudeva
Listener: Skanda (directly addressed)
Scene: A direct address to Skanda: when remorse arises after sin, no expiation surpasses worship of Rudra.
FAQs
True repentance should culminate in Rudra-worship; devotion to Śiva is presented as the supreme purifier in Puranic dharma.
No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse glorifies Rudrārādhana (Śiva worship) itself.
Rudrārādhana—propitiation/worship of Rudra—is stated as the highest prāyaścitta; details of method are not given in this verse.