Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3
क्षेत्रपालो वसेत्तत्र ढौण्ढेशो नाम नामतः । तस्य चाराधनं कृत्वा नारी वा पुरुषोऽपि वा
kṣetrapālo vasettatra ḍhauṇḍheśo nāma nāmataḥ | tasya cārādhanaṃ kṛtvā nārī vā puruṣo'pi vā
അവിടെ ക്ഷേത്രപാലൻ വസിക്കുന്നു; പേരാൽ ‘ഢൗൺഢേശ’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധൻ. അവനെ വിധിപൂർവ്വം ആരാധിച്ചാൽ, സ്ത്രീയായാലും പുരുഷനായാലും—
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continued narration)
Tirtha: Kurkurī-tīrtha (kṣetra with Ḍhauṇḍheśa-kṣetrapāla)
Type: kshetra
Listener: null
Scene: At the entrance to a riverbank sacred precinct stands Ḍhauṇḍheśa, a fierce yet protective Śaiva guardian (kṣetrapāla), receiving offerings from pilgrims before they proceed inward.
FAQs
Sacred places are protected by kṣetrapālas; honoring the guardian is part of proper dharmic approach to a tīrtha.
Kurkurī-tīrtha, specifically its resident kṣetrapāla named Ḍhauṇḍheśa.
Ārādhana (worship/propitiation) of the kṣetrapāla Ḍhauṇḍheśa, open to both women and men.