Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6
ह्रियंते बालका रात्रौ छिद्रं प्राप्य सहस्रशः । युष्मदीयाभिरेताभिर्देवताभिः समन्ततः
hriyaṃte bālakā rātrau chidraṃ prāpya sahasraśaḥ | yuṣmadīyābhiretābhirdevatābhiḥ samantataḥ
रात्री छिद्र मिळताच हजारो बालके उचलली जातात; तुमच्या या देवता सर्व बाजूंनी आम्हाला वेढून हे करतात।
Brāhmaṇas (petitioning Ambāvṛddhā)
Tirtha: Ambāvṛddhā (protective sphere)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Night scene: shadowy figures of deities/spirits encircle the city; a dark fissure/opening is visible; children being carried away in a whirlwind-like motion, while brāhmaṇas plead.
FAQs
Unchecked negative forces exploit ‘openings’; divine guardianship is sought to restore order and safety.
The plea occurs in the Ambāvṛddhā Māhātmya associated with Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra.
Implicitly, seeking the deity’s intervention through prayer and worship; the verse itself states the problem prompting the rite.