Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 28
काष्ठपाषाणलोष्टेषु मृन्मयेषु विशेषतः । मन्त्रेण लोके पूजां तु कुर्वन्ति न ह्यमन्त्रतः
kāṣṭhapāṣāṇaloṣṭeṣu mṛnmayeṣu viśeṣataḥ | mantreṇa loke pūjāṃ tu kurvanti na hyamantrataḥ
പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് മരം, കല്ല്, മൺകട്ട, മണ്ണുകൊണ്ടുള്ള രൂപങ്ങളിൽ ഈ ലോകത്തിലെ ജനങ്ങൾ മന്ത്രത്താൽ തന്നെയാണ് പൂജ ചെയ്യുന്നത്; മന്ത്രമില്ലാതെ ഒരിക്കലുമല്ല.
Skanda (deduced)
Scene: A shrine with multiple material icons: a stone liṅga, a wooden deity panel, a clay image; devotees offer flowers and lamps while a priest recites mantras; the mantra is visually suggested by a palm-leaf text or sound-wave motif around the icon.
FAQs
Mantra is the consecrating power that makes worship of physical forms spiritually meaningful and effective.
The verse supports the Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha-temple ethos, where proper worship practices are emphasized.
Perform pūjā with mantra, particularly when worship involves material icons/forms such as stone or clay.