Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 95
प्रत्यक्षतां गतस्तस्यै वरदोऽस्मीति चाब्रवीत् । ततस्तं पूजयित्वा च कुमारी वाक्यमब्रवीत्
pratyakṣatāṃ gatastasyai varado'smīti cābravīt | tatastaṃ pūjayitvā ca kumārī vākyamabravīt
स तस्यै प्रत्यक्षतां गतः—“वरदोऽस्मि” इति चाब्रवीत्। ततः कुमारी तं सम्यक् पूजयित्वा वाक्यमिदमब्रवीत्॥
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Tirtha: Barkareśa (as implied by the episode)
Type: kshetra
Listener: A Kuru noble (Kurūsattama)
Scene: Śiva becomes manifest before Kumārī; she performs pūjā with folded hands and offerings, then begins her petition.
FAQs
Divine grace responds to tapas, and proper worship (pūjā) precedes asking for a boon—linking devotion with dharmic conduct.
This is part of the origin-story of the Barkareśa Śiva-sthāna; the site’s sanctity is grounded in Śiva’s direct manifestation.
Pūjā of Śiva after darśana is implied as the correct ritual response before making a request.