Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27
सर्वतीर्थाभिषिक्तस्त्वं यदा स्यान्नृपसत्तम । प्रायश्चित्तेन योग्यः स्यास्ततो यज्ञस्य नान्यथा
sarvatīrthābhiṣiktastvaṃ yadā syānnṛpasattama | prāyaścittena yogyaḥ syāstato yajñasya nānyathā
हे नृपश्रेष्ठा! तू सर्व तीर्थांत अभिषिक्त होऊन शुद्ध झाल्यावरच प्रायश्चित्ताने यज्ञास योग्य होशील; अन्यथा कधीही नाही.
Brāhmaṇas (ritual instructors)
Tirtha: Sarva-tīrtha (conceptual), implied Prabhāsa-ādi
Type: kshetra
Listener: A king (nṛpa-sattama) within the story; also the broader audience via the Purāṇic frame
Scene: A king stands before learned brāhmaṇas; behind them a symbolic map-like procession of many tīrthas; the king is ritually anointed (abhiṣikta) with waters from diverse sacred sources, signifying readiness for yajña.
FAQs
Ritual power is tied to moral and ritual fitness; pilgrimage and expiation establish adhikāra for higher rites.
The verse extols ‘all tīrthas’ collectively (sarva-tīrtha) rather than naming one particular location.
Undergo tīrtha-bathing/purification and then prāyaścitta to become eligible to perform the yajña.