Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11
शिव उवाच । शृणुष्वैकाग्रमनसा येनाहं व्यग्रचेतसः । अस्ति स्थानं महापुण्यं धर्म्मारण्यं च भूतले
śiva uvāca | śṛṇuṣvaikāgramanasā yenāhaṃ vyagracetasaḥ | asti sthānaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ dharmmāraṇyaṃ ca bhūtale
ശിവൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ഏകാഗ്രമനസ്സോടെ കേൾക്കുക; എന്റെ ചിത്തം വ്യാകുലമാണ്. ഭൂതലത്തിൽ മഹാപുണ്യമയമായ ഒരു പുണ്യക്ഷേത്രം ഉണ്ട്—ധർമാരണ്യം എന്ന പവിത്രവനം।
Śiva
Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya
Type: kshetra
Listener: Skanda (Ṣaḍānana)
Scene: Śiva, serene yet eager, addresses Skanda in a sacred grove; the ‘Dharmāraṇya’ is suggested by ancient trees, tīrtha markers, and a luminous atmosphere indicating hidden merit.
FAQs
Single-pointed listening and reverence toward sacred geography lead the seeker toward dharma and merit (puṇya).
Dharmāraṇya, introduced as a supremely meritorious sacred place on earth.
No specific rite is prescribed here; the instruction is to listen attentively as the māhātmya begins.