Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 64
इन्द्रश्चाश्वयुजे मासि धाता तपति कार्तिके । मार्गशीर्षे तथा मित्रः पौषे पूषा दिवाकरः
indraścāśvayuje māsi dhātā tapati kārtike | mārgaśīrṣe tathā mitraḥ pauṣe pūṣā divākaraḥ
आश्वयुज महिन्यात इंद्र अधिष्ठाता असतो, कार्तिकात धाता तपतो. मार्गशीर्षात मित्र आणि पौषात पूषा—हे दिवाकर—प्रकाशतो.
Skanda (deduced)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A four-month procession: Indra with vajra amid clearing skies (Āśvina), Dhātṛ as a serene cosmic scribe/ordainer with measuring cord (Kārtika), Mitra as a gentle radiant deity blessing companions (Mārgaśīrṣa), Pūṣan as a protector of roads with staff and cattle imagery (Pauṣa).
FAQs
It frames the year as a sacred procession of divine guardians, encouraging month-wise mindfulness and worship aligned with kāla (time).
Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya provides the setting; such calendrical sanctification supports pilgrimage-season observances.
No direct prescription; Kārtika is named, which is widely associated with vrata practice, but this verse itself only assigns Dhātṛ to the month.