Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4
ईश्वर उवाच । शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि कथां पापप्रणाशिनीम् । रतिर्नामाभवत्साध्वी कामपत्नी यशस्विनी
īśvara uvāca | śṛṇu devi pravakṣyāmi kathāṃ pāpapraṇāśinīm | ratirnāmābhavatsādhvī kāmapatnī yaśasvinī
ഈശ്വരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ദേവീ, കേൾക്കുക; പാപനാശിനിയായ കഥ ഞാൻ പറയുന്നു. രതി എന്നൊരു സാദ്വി ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു; അവൾ കാമദേവന്റെ യശസ്വിനിയായ ഭാര്യയായിരുന്നു।
Īśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Ratīśvara (Prabhāsa-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī
Scene: Śiva begins the sacred narration, describing Rati—virtuous and renowned—wife of Kāma, setting a devotional tone that promises sin-destruction through the story.
FAQs
Purāṇic kathā itself is framed as purifying; listening to the right sacred narrative supports inner cleansing and devotion.
Ratīśvara in Prabhāsa Kṣetra, whose māhātmya is introduced through the story of Rati.
Śravaṇa (listening) is implied as a meritorious act, as the Lord introduces a ‘pāpa-praṇāśinī’ kathā.