Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23
गच्छमानः क्षयं पक्षं वृद्धिं पक्षं च सद्द्विजाः । सापि देवी ततः प्रोक्ता सप्तविंशतिका क्षितौ । सर्वसौभाग्यदा स्त्रीणां तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे व्यवस्थिता
gacchamānaḥ kṣayaṃ pakṣaṃ vṛddhiṃ pakṣaṃ ca saddvijāḥ | sāpi devī tataḥ proktā saptaviṃśatikā kṣitau | sarvasaubhāgyadā strīṇāṃ tasminkṣetre vyavasthitā
ഹേ സദ്ദ്വിജന്മാരേ, അവൻ ക്ഷയപക്ഷവും വർദ്ധിപക്ഷവും കടന്നുപോകുന്നതിനാൽ ആ ദേവി ഭൂമിയിൽ ‘സപ്തവിംശതികാ’ (ഇരുപത്തേഴു) എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധയായി. ആ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതയായി അവൾ സ്ത്രീകൾക്ക് സർവ്വസൗഭാഗ്യവും നൽകുന്നു.
Narrator (contextual, within Tīrthamāhātmya narration)
Tirtha: Saptaviṃśatikā-kṣetra (as implied)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Dvijas (explicit: सद्द्विजाः)
Scene: A goddess enthroned within a sacred precinct, surrounded by a mandala of 27 star-lamps or 27 maiden-forms; devotees (women) approach with offerings, seeking saubhāgya.
FAQs
Cosmic rhythm (waxing/waning) is tied to sacred presence; devotion in a kṣetra channels auspiciousness and well-being.
A named ‘kṣetra’ where Saptaviṃśatikā Devī is established; the passage functions as a local māhātmya for that region’s Devī/Soma sanctity.
No direct rite here; it identifies the deity and her boon (sarva-saubhāgya), preparing for the recitation instruction in the next verse.