Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8
ईश्वर उवाच । अष्टानामपि देवेशि क्षेत्राणामस्ति चोत्तमम् । एतेषामपि तत्क्षेत्रं हाटकेश्वरसंज्ञितम्
īśvara uvāca | aṣṭānāmapi deveśi kṣetrāṇāmasti cottamam | eteṣāmapi tatkṣetraṃ hāṭakeśvarasaṃjñitam
ईश्वर उवाच—देवेशि, अष्टानामपि क्षेत्राणां मध्ये एकं परमं क्षेत्रमस्ति; तेषामपि तत्क्षेत्रं ‘हाटकेश्वर’ इति संज्ञितम्।
Īśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)
Scene: Īśvara addresses Devī, proclaiming a supreme kṣetra named Hāṭakeśvara among eight sacred fields; the moment is declarative and hieratic, with a sense of revelation.
FAQs
Purāṇic dharma teaches hierarchical sacred geography: a ‘supreme’ kṣetra concentrates the fruits of many pilgrimages.
Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra is declared the best among the eight renowned kṣetras.
Implicitly, one should prioritize pilgrimage and worship connected with Hāṭakeśvara; explicit rites appear in surrounding verses.