Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25
स्वाध्यायस्तु जपः प्रोक्तः प्रणवाभ्यसनादिकः । शिवे ज्ञाने गुरौ भक्तिर्गुरुभक्तिरिति स्मृता
svādhyāyastu japaḥ proktaḥ praṇavābhyasanādikaḥ | śive jñāne gurau bhaktirgurubhaktiriti smṛtā
स्वाध्यायो हि जपः प्रोक्तः प्रणवाभ्यसनादिकः। शिवे ज्ञाने गुरौ भक्तिः ‘गुरुभक्तिः’ इति स्मृता॥
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Scene: A guru seated beneath a tree or in a small maṭha instructs a disciple; a Śiva-liṅga nearby; the syllable Oṁ visualized as luminous script above, indicating praṇava-japa and svādhyāya.
FAQs
Sacred repetition (japa), especially of Oṃ, and devotion to Śiva, wisdom, and the guru form a core inner observance.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse emphasizes devotional-yogic practice.
Praṇava (Oṃ) practice and japa are prescribed as svādhyāya; devotion to guru and Śiva is prescribed as bhakti.