Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 2
तीर्थानामुत्तमं तीर्थं क्षेत्राणां क्षेत्रमुत्तमम् । तत्रैव नैमिषारण्ये सौनकाद्यास्तपोधनाः । दीर्घसत्रं प्रकुर्वंतः सत्रिणः कर्मचेतसः
tīrthānāmuttamaṃ tīrthaṃ kṣetrāṇāṃ kṣetramuttamam | tatraiva naimiṣāraṇye saunakādyāstapodhanāḥ | dīrghasatraṃ prakurvaṃtaḥ satriṇaḥ karmacetasaḥ
നൈമിഷാരണ്യത്തിൽ—തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിൽ ഉത്തമമായ തീർത്ഥവും ക്ഷേത്രങ്ങളിൽ ഏറ്റവും ഉത്തമമായ ക്ഷേത്രവും ആയ അവിടെയേ—ശൗനകാദി തപോധന ഋഷിമാർ, കർമ്മത്തിൽ ഏകാഗ്രരായ സത്രിണരായി ദീർഘസത്രം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Purāṇic recital frame at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and other sages at Naimiṣāraṇya
Scene: A forest hermitage at Naimiṣāraṇya: Śaunaka and many sages sit around a sacrificial fire conducting a long satra; ladles, kuśa grass, and ritual vessels are prominent; the atmosphere is timeless and contemplative.
FAQs
Holy places and sustained sacrifice create a sacred setting where dharma is preserved through listening and recitation.
Naimiṣāraṇya is explicitly praised as supreme among tīrthas and kṣetras.
A dīrgha-satra (long sacrificial session) being performed by sages devoted to karma (ritual duty).