Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1
व्यास उवाच । गोवत्सान्नैरृते भागे दृश्यते लोहयष्टिका । स्वयंभुलिंगरूपेण रुद्रस्तत्र स्थितः स्वयम् । श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । मोक्षतीर्थे सरस्वत्या नभस्ये चंद्रसंक्षये । विप्रान्संपूज्य विधिवत्तेभ्यो दत्त्वा च दक्षिणाम्
vyāsa uvāca | govatsānnairṛte bhāge dṛśyate lohayaṣṭikā | svayaṃbhuliṃgarūpeṇa rudrastatra sthitaḥ svayam | śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | mokṣatīrthe sarasvatyā nabhasye caṃdrasaṃkṣaye | viprānsaṃpūjya vidhivattebhyo dattvā ca dakṣiṇām
व्यास उवाच—गोवत्सानस्य नैर्ऋते भागे लोहयष्टिका दृश्यते; तत्र स्वयंभुलिङ्गरूपेण रुद्रः स्वयमेव स्थितः। श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच—सरस्वत्याः मोक्षतीर्थे नभस्ये चन्द्रसंक्षये विप्रान् विधिवत् सम्पूज्य तेभ्यश्च दक्षिणां दद्यात्।
Vyāsa; Mārkaṇḍeya
Tirtha: Mokṣatīrtha (Sarasvatī) and Lohayaṣṭikā (Govatsāna)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A quiet Sarasvatī bank with a svayambhū Rudra-liṅga near an iron-staff-like marker (lohayaṣṭikā); Vyāsa narrates, Mārkaṇḍeya instructs pilgrims; brāhmaṇas seated for honor and dakṣiṇā during the darkening fortnight.
FAQs
Sacred geography is anchored in a self-manifest Śiva presence, and pilgrimage is completed through dharma—honoring learned brāhmaṇas and giving dakṣiṇā.
Lohayaṣṭikā in the south-west of Govatsāna, and Mokṣatīrtha on the Sarasvatī.
In Nabhas (Bhādrapada) during lunar waning, worship/honor brāhmaṇas (vipra-pūjā) and give dakṣiṇā at Mokṣatīrtha.