Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20
सर्वैर्भवद्भिः संहत्य मुख्यस्त्वेकः प्रकीर्त्यताम् । तस्मै चार्घं प्रयच्छामि नैवं मामनयः स्पृशेत्
sarvairbhavadbhiḥ saṃhatya mukhyastvekaḥ prakīrtyatām | tasmai cārghaṃ prayacchāmi naivaṃ māmanayaḥ spṛśet
“Wahai kamu semua, berhimpunlah dan nyatakan seorang sahaja yang paling utama antara kamu. Kepadanya akan kupersembahkan argha ini—agar tiada ketidakwajaran menyentuhku dalam amalan ini.”
Brahmā
Listener: (Contextual) assembled sages
Scene: A respectful assembly where personified tīrthas stand as radiant sages/deities; the speaker holds an arghya vessel, requesting that one foremost be named to keep the rite faultless.
FAQs
Dharma values correctness in worship: offerings should be made with discernment to avoid ritual impropriety.
The verse is a procedure for identifying the chief tīrtha; the named site is not yet specified.
Declare the foremost recipient first, then offer argha to that one to maintain ritual propriety.