Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20
एतद्गुह्यतमं देवि मम नित्यव्यवस्थितम् । न कस्याऽपि मयाख्यातं देवेंद्रस्यापि पृच्छतः
etadguhyatamaṃ devi mama nityavyavasthitam | na kasyā'pi mayākhyātaṃ deveṃdrasyāpi pṛcchataḥ
Wahai Dewi, inilah ajaran-Ku yang paling rahsia, yang sentiasa teguh sebagai kebenaran yang tetap. Aku tidak pernah menyingkapkannya kepada sesiapa—bahkan ketika Indra, raja para dewa, bertanya kepada-Ku.
Śiva (deduced from the Śaiva tīrtha-context and address to Devī)
Listener: Devī
Scene: An intimate divine dialogue: Śiva-like teacher seated in a secluded grove or temple precinct, Devī listening attentively; the mood is confidential, with Indra’s unfulfilled request implied in the background as a narrative contrast.
FAQs
Sacred knowledge about tīrthas is portrayed as a guarded revelation, emphasizing reverence, readiness, and the transformative power of holy places.
No single tīrtha is named yet; the verse introduces a confidential teaching that will enumerate and glorify multiple tīrthas.
None explicitly; the focus is on the secrecy and authority of the forthcoming tīrtha-teaching.