Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 1
ईश्वर उवाच । अथ वस्त्रापथे क्षेत्रे संति तीर्थानि कोटिशः । तथापि सारं ते वच्मि सर्वतीर्थमहोदयम्
īśvara uvāca | atha vastrāpathe kṣetre saṃti tīrthāni koṭiśaḥ | tathāpi sāraṃ te vacmi sarvatīrthamahodayam
ईश्वर म्हणाले—आता वस्त्रापथ क्षेत्रात कोट्यवधी तीर्थे आहेत; तरीही मी तुला त्यांचा सार सांगतो—जे सर्व तीर्थांचा महोदय, परम मंगलाचा स्रोत आहे.
Īśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Vastrāpatha (all-tīrtha-mahodayam—‘great source of auspiciousness of all tīrthas’)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Īśvara speaks, gesturing over a sacred map-like landscape of Vastrāpatha filled with countless tīrthas, while a single radiant focal tīrtha shines as the ‘essence’.
FAQs
Among many sacred options, the Purāṇa highlights an essential focus-point—encouraging concentrated devotion rather than mere enumeration.
Vastrāpatha-kṣetra as a vast tīrtha-landscape containing innumerable holy spots.
No specific rite; the verse introduces a teaching that will identify the ‘sāra’ (core) among the tīrthas.