Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 27
लोकेऽस्मिन्द्विविधं तीर्थं स्वच्छ न्दैर्निर्म्मितं तथा । स्वयंभूतं प्रभासाद्यं निर्मितं दैवतैः कृतम्
loke'smindvividhaṃ tīrthaṃ svaccha ndairnirmmitaṃ tathā | svayaṃbhūtaṃ prabhāsādyaṃ nirmitaṃ daivataiḥ kṛtam
लोकेऽस्मिन् तीर्थं द्विविधं—स्वच्छन्दैर्निर्मितं तथा। स्वयंभूतं च, प्रभासाद्यं; दैवतैर्निर्मितं च यत्॥
Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya discourse style)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa
Type: kshetra
Scene: A cosmographic tableau showing three categories of tīrthas: a human-built ghat, a deva-established shrine, and a self-manifest luminous tīrtha labeled Prabhāsa, radiating natural sanctity without human construction; sages point and teach pilgrims.
FAQs
Tīrthas are not all alike; self-manifest and divinely founded sites carry a distinctive sanctity, with Prabhāsa praised as foremost.
Prabhāsa (Prabhāsa-kṣetra), presented as a leading self-manifest tīrtha.
No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse classifies tīrthas to frame later rules about conduct at the sacred site.