Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6
देवो मार्गे पुनस्तत्र भ्रमते च यदृच्छया । विक्रीणाति बलाकारो दृष्ट्वा चोक्तो हरेण तु
devo mārge punastatra bhramate ca yadṛcchayā | vikrīṇāti balākāro dṛṣṭvā cokto hareṇa tu
വീണ്ടും അവിടെ ദേവൻ വഴിയിൽ യദൃച്ഛയായി സഞ്ചരിച്ചു. കാളസദൃശരൂപമുള്ള ഒരു വ്യാപാരി എന്തോ വിൽക്കുകയായിരുന്നു; അവനെ കണ്ട ഹരൻ (ശിവൻ) അവനോട് സംസാരിച്ചു.
Mārkaṇḍeya
Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (Narmadā region)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A dusty pilgrimage road near the Revā; a wandering deva meets a bull-like figure engaged in selling goods; Śiva (Hara) addresses him, hinting at a test.
FAQs
Divine grace often appears through ordinary encounters; a simple meeting can become the doorway to service (sevā) and merit.
The immediate verse is transitional; it supports the Kantheśvara-linked narrative within the Revā Khaṇḍa sacred geography.
No explicit prescription yet; the next verse introduces a service request involving carrying a liṅga.