Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3
प्रतिपच्छुक्लपक्षे या भवेदाश्वयुजे नृप । तदा तीर्थवरे गत्वा स्नात्वा वै नर्मदाजले
pratipacchuklapakṣe yā bhavedāśvayuje nṛpa | tadā tīrthavare gatvā snātvā vai narmadājale
Wahai raja, apabila pratipat (hari pertama) bagi paruh terang dalam bulan Āśvayuja tiba, pada waktu itu hendaklah pergi ke tīrtha yang utama itu dan benar-benar mandi dalam air Sungai Narmadā.
Mārkaṇḍeya
Tirtha: Śikhitīrtha
Type: ghat
Listener: King (nṛpa)
Scene: Autumn month Āśvayuja: bright fortnight first day; pilgrims gather at dawn on Narmadā, performing ritual bath; banners and lamps at Śikhitīrtha; priests guiding snāna rites.
FAQs
Merit increases when pilgrimage and bathing are performed at the proper sacred time aligned with the lunar calendar.
The ‘excellent tīrtha’ in context is Śikhitīrtha on the Narmadā.
Bathe (snāna) in the Narmadā on Āśvayuja (Āśvina) bright-half pratipat after going to the tīrtha.