Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 4
तन्मंत्राणां च माहात्म्यं तथैव द्विजसत्तम । तत्कथायाश्च तद्भक्तेः प्रभावमनुवर्णय
tanmaṃtrāṇāṃ ca māhātmyaṃ tathaiva dvijasattama | tatkathāyāśca tadbhakteḥ prabhāvamanuvarṇaya
ഹേ ദ്വിജസത്തമാ! അവന്റെ മന്ത്രങ്ങളുടെ മഹാത്മ്യവും, അതുപോലെ അവന്റെ കഥകളുടെ പ്രഭാവവും അവന്റെ ഭക്തിയുടെ മഹിമയും വിശദമായി അനുവർണ്ണനം ചെയ്യുക।
Ṛṣis (sages) addressing Sūta
Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya (implied)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Sūta (addressed as dvija-sattama)
Scene: Sages request an exposition of mantra-mahātmyam and the power of Śiva-kathā and bhakti; the scene can show three symbolic streams: mantra as sacred syllables, kathā as manuscript/recitation, bhakti as offering at a liṅga.
FAQs
Dharma is strengthened through three allied means: mantra (japa), kathā (sacred hearing), and bhakti (devotional commitment).
No tīrtha is specified; the verse introduces mantra- and kathā-centered māhātmya.
Mantra practice (japa) is implied, alongside listening to and recounting sacred kathā.