Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 93
एवं सर्वं च तद्द्रव्यं वामतः संन्यसेद्भवात् । ततो बहिर्विनिष्क्रम्य पूजयेत्प्रतिहारकान्
evaṃ sarvaṃ ca taddravyaṃ vāmataḥ saṃnyasedbhavāt | tato bahirviniṣkramya pūjayetpratihārakān
ഇങ്ങനെ ആ എല്ലാ ദ്രവ്യങ്ങളും ഭവൻ (ശിവൻ) ഇടത്തുവശത്ത് വെക്കണം. തുടർന്ന് പുറത്തേക്ക് പോയി പ്രതിഹാരകരെ (ദ്വാരപാല സേവകരെ) പൂജിക്കണം।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Type: temple
Scene: Inside the sanctum, offerings are placed to Śiva’s left; then the devotee steps out to the doorway and offers flowers/incense to the stern yet protective door-keepers.
FAQs
Sacred order matters: honor Śiva’s space and also respect the divine attendants who guard the threshold of the holy.
No specific tīrtha is named; it describes general temple protocol applicable across Śaiva sacred sites.
Place the prepared worship materials to Śiva’s left, then go out and worship the pratihārakas (door-keepers/attendants).