Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16
अष्टषष्टिस्तथा राजन्क्षेत्राणामस्ति भूतले । येषां सांनिध्यमभ्येति सर्वदैव महेश्वरः
aṣṭaṣaṣṭistathā rājankṣetrāṇāmasti bhūtale | yeṣāṃ sāṃnidhyamabhyeti sarvadaiva maheśvaraḥ
ഹേ രാജാവേ, ഭൂതലത്തിൽ അഷ്ടഷഷ്ടി പുണ്യക്ഷേത്രങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ട്; അവയുടെ പുണ്യസാന്നിധ്യത്തിലേക്ക് മഹേശ്വരൻ സദാ വന്ന് അധിവസിക്കുന്നു।
Vasiṣṭha
Tirtha: Aṣṭaṣaṣṭi-kṣetra-saṅgraha (the 68-kṣetra set)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Rājan / Mahīpati (a king)
Scene: A royal listener is told of a cosmic map: many luminous kṣetras across Bhārata, each marked by a Śiva-presence radiating like a pillar of light.
FAQs
Certain kṣetras are uniquely charged with Śiva’s constant presence, making pilgrimage and devotion there especially potent.
The verse points to a class of 68 Śaiva kṣetras but does not name individual sites in this line.
No explicit ritual is stated; the verse highlights Śiva’s perpetual sānnidhya as the basis for kṣetra greatness.