Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5
तत्पुष्पमकरन्दस्य रसास्वादविदुत्तमः । भ्रमरः खलु मार्कण्डो मुनिर्मतिमतां वरः
tatpuṣpamakarandasya rasāsvādaviduttamaḥ | bhramaraḥ khalu mārkaṇḍo munirmatimatāṃ varaḥ
त्या तीर्थरूपी पुष्पांच्या मकरंदाचा रसास्वाद घेण्यात परम निपुण, मतिमंतांमध्ये श्रेष्ठ मुनि मार्कंडेय खरोखरच भ्रमरासारखे आहेत.
Sūta
Listener: Ṛṣis / dvija-śreṣṭhas (addressed as ‘matimatāṃ varaḥ’, ‘ṛṣi-sattamāḥ’)
Scene: A luminous ascetic Mārkaṇḍeya is envisioned as a bee hovering over a riverbank garlanded with many flowers labeled as tīrthas; the ‘nectar’ is the subtle merit and insight drawn from each site.
FAQs
A realized sage extracts the ‘essence’ of tīrthas—showing that pilgrimage is deepest when guided by wisdom.
The Revā tīrthas collectively, through the metaphor of flowers whose nectar is savored.
None; it is a commendation of Mārkaṇḍeya’s spiritual discernment.