Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 101
यथास्य जगतो ब्रूषे नास्ति हेतुर्महेश्वरः । तद्बालभाषितं तुभ्यं किं राजानं विना प्रजाः
yathāsya jagato brūṣe nāsti heturmaheśvaraḥ | tadbālabhāṣitaṃ tubhyaṃ kiṃ rājānaṃ vinā prajāḥ
ତୁମେ ଯେପରି କହୁଛ—ଏହି ଜଗତର କୌଣସି କାରଣ ନାହିଁ, ମହେଶ୍ୱର ନାହାନ୍ତି—ଏହା ଶିଶୁସଦୃଶ କଥା; କୁହ, ରାଜା ବିନା ପ୍ରଜା କେମିତି ରହିବେ?
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Scene: A debate scene: a Śaiva teacher challenges a skeptic; behind them a symbolic cosmic order appears—Śiva as sovereign, with the universe arranged like a well-ruled kingdom.
FAQs
The universe is not causeless; acknowledging Maheśvara as the sustaining principle is presented as mature, dharmic understanding.
No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it serves as a theological preface to later site-specific liṅga glories.
None directly; the verse frames the logic that supports liṅga worship and later prescriptions.