Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1
व्यास उवाच । गोवत्सान्नैरृते भागे दृश्यते लोहयष्टिका । स्वयंभुलिंगरूपेण रुद्रस्तत्र स्थितः स्वयम् । श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । मोक्षतीर्थे सरस्वत्या नभस्ये चंद्रसंक्षये । विप्रान्संपूज्य विधिवत्तेभ्यो दत्त्वा च दक्षिणाम्
vyāsa uvāca | govatsānnairṛte bhāge dṛśyate lohayaṣṭikā | svayaṃbhuliṃgarūpeṇa rudrastatra sthitaḥ svayam | śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | mokṣatīrthe sarasvatyā nabhasye caṃdrasaṃkṣaye | viprānsaṃpūjya vidhivattebhyo dattvā ca dakṣiṇām
व्यास म्हणाले—गोवत्सानाच्या नैऋत्य भागात लोहयष्टिका दिसते; तेथे स्वयंभू लिंगरूपाने रुद्र स्वतः विराजमान आहेत. श्री मार्कंडेय म्हणाले—सरस्वतीच्या मोक्षतीर्थी नभस्य (भाद्रपद) मासातील चंद्रक्षयकाळी ब्राह्मणांचे विधिपूर्वक पूजन करून त्यांना दक्षिणा द्यावी।
Vyāsa; Mārkaṇḍeya
Tirtha: Mokṣatīrtha (Sarasvatī) and Lohayaṣṭikā (Govatsāna)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A quiet Sarasvatī bank with a svayambhū Rudra-liṅga near an iron-staff-like marker (lohayaṣṭikā); Vyāsa narrates, Mārkaṇḍeya instructs pilgrims; brāhmaṇas seated for honor and dakṣiṇā during the darkening fortnight.
FAQs
Sacred geography is anchored in a self-manifest Śiva presence, and pilgrimage is completed through dharma—honoring learned brāhmaṇas and giving dakṣiṇā.
Lohayaṣṭikā in the south-west of Govatsāna, and Mokṣatīrtha on the Sarasvatī.
In Nabhas (Bhādrapada) during lunar waning, worship/honor brāhmaṇas (vipra-pūjā) and give dakṣiṇā at Mokṣatīrtha.