Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79
विवाहसमये प्राप्ते प्रारम्भे वा शृणोति यः । एतदाख्यानमव्यग्रं संपूज्य वृषभध्वजम् । तस्याऽविघ्नं भवेत्सर्वं कर्म वैवाहिकं च यत्
vivāhasamaye prāpte prārambhe vā śṛṇoti yaḥ | etadākhyānamavyagraṃ saṃpūjya vṛṣabhadhvajam | tasyā'vighnaṃ bhavetsarvaṃ karma vaivāhikaṃ ca yat
विवाहसमय आला असता किंवा आरंभी जो अव्यग्र चित्ताने, वृषभध्वज (शिव) यांची विधिवत पूजा करून हे आख्यान ऐकतो—त्याची सर्व वैवाहिक कर्मे निर्विघ्न होतात.
Narrative voice (phalaśruti within Sūta’s discourse context)
Listener: Ṛṣis / dvijāḥ
Scene: A wedding pavilion at commencement; a devotee couple/sponsor listens to a reciter while a Śiva shrine with Nandin and the bull-banner emblem is worshipped; atmosphere of auspicious order and calm focus.
FAQs
Ritual success is linked to devotion and attentive listening to sacred history, not merely external ceremony.
The narrative (ākhyāna) belongs to the Haravedī/Vṛṣabhadhvaja Māhātmya; its recitation is treated as a protective sacred act.
Before or at the start of marriage rites: worship Vṛṣabhadhvaja and listen to this ākhyāna with focused attention to ensure obstacle-free ceremonies.