Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23
पंचपंचाद्भुतं गेहं को विजानाति वा द्विजः । बहुरूपां स्त्रियं कर्तुमेकरूपां च वत्ति कः
paṃcapaṃcādbhutaṃ gehaṃ ko vijānāti vā dvijaḥ | bahurūpāṃ striyaṃ kartumekarūpāṃ ca vatti kaḥ
അഞ്ചും അഞ്ചും അത്ഭുതങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞ ഈ ‘ഗൃഹം’ ഏത് ദ്വിജൻ സത്യമായി അറിയുന്നു? ബഹുരൂപിണിയായ സ്ത്രീയെ ഏക രൂപമായി, സ്ഥിരമായി ആക്കാൻ ആര് അറിയുന്നു?
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced); riddle-like questions to test depth of knowledge
Scene: A contemplative sage poses riddling questions: a symbolic ‘house’ with ten apertures (five-and-five) and a many-formed feminine figure (mind/prakṛti) shifting shapes, while a single steady flame represents one-pointedness.
FAQs
Learning includes insight into symbolic teachings—mastery that can unify what is scattered and many-formed.
None; the verse uses metaphor and questioning rather than tīrtha-māhātmya.
No explicit rite; it functions as a parīkṣā (test) of interpretive and spiritual understanding.