Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19
कृते पापेऽनुतापो वै यस्य स्कन्द प्रजायते । रुद्राराधनतोऽन्यच्च प्रायश्तित्तं परं न हि
kṛte pāpe'nutāpo vai yasya skanda prajāyate | rudrārādhanato'nyacca prāyaśtittaṃ paraṃ na hi
हे स्कंदा, ज्याच्या अंतःकरणात पाप केल्यानंतर खरा पश्चात्ताप उत्पन्न होतो, त्याच्यासाठी रुद्राराधनेपेक्षा श्रेष्ठ प्रायश्चित्त नाही।
Vāsudeva
Listener: Skanda (directly addressed)
Scene: A direct address to Skanda: when remorse arises after sin, no expiation surpasses worship of Rudra.
FAQs
True repentance should culminate in Rudra-worship; devotion to Śiva is presented as the supreme purifier in Puranic dharma.
No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse glorifies Rudrārādhana (Śiva worship) itself.
Rudrārādhana—propitiation/worship of Rudra—is stated as the highest prāyaścitta; details of method are not given in this verse.