Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 142
मिथ्या चैतत्कृतं सर्वं मूर्खैश्चापि प्रकीर्तितम् । क्व क्षेत्रं क्व प्रभावश्च कुत्र वै सन्ति देवताः
mithyā caitatkṛtaṃ sarvaṃ mūrkhaiścāpi prakīrtitam | kva kṣetraṃ kva prabhāvaśca kutra vai santi devatāḥ
‘ഇതെല്ലാം അസത്യം; മൂഢന്മാർ നിർമ്മിച്ചു പ്രചരിപ്പിച്ചതാണ്’ എന്ന് അവർ പറയും—‘എവിടെ ക്ഷേത്രം? എവിടെ അതിന്റെ പ്രഭാവം? ദേവതകൾ സത്യത്തിൽ എവിടെയാണ്?’
Śiva
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Pārvatī
Scene: A group of skeptics points dismissively toward a shrine, questioning the very existence of kṣetra-power and gods; in the background, lamps burn steadily before the Liṅga, symbolizing unshaken divinity.
FAQs
Disbelief in sacred places and divine presence is portrayed as a symptom of Kali-yuga; dharma requires discernment and steadfast faith.
The polemic targets denial of tīrthas generally, within the immediate defense of Prabhāsa-kṣetra and Somēśa.
None explicitly; it cautions against dismissing tīrtha-prabhāva and devatā-sattā (divine reality).