अगस्त्य उवाच । धर्मतीर्थस्य माहात्म्यं कीदृग्देवेन शंभुना । स्कंद देव्यै समाख्यातं तदाख्याहि कृपां कुरु
agastya uvāca | dharmatīrthasya māhātmyaṃ kīdṛgdevena śaṃbhunā | skaṃda devyai samākhyātaṃ tadākhyāhi kṛpāṃ kuru
அகஸ்தியர் கூறினார்—ஸ்கந்தா, தர்மதீர்த்தத்தின் மகிமையை தேவாதிதேவன் சம்பு தேவியிடம் எவ்வாறு உரைத்தான்? கருணை செய்து அந்த வரலாற்றைச் சொல்லும்।
Agastya
Tirtha: Dharmatīrtha
Type: tirtha
Listener: Skanda
Scene: Agastya, austere and radiant, seated in a hermitage setting, hands folded, addressing youthful Skanda; the question is about Dharmatīrtha’s greatness as told by Śambhu to Devī—suggesting a layered narrative scroll behind them.
Approaching a realized teacher with humility and inquiry is the doorway to understanding tīrtha-māhātmya and dharma.
Dharmatīrtha in the Kāśī-kṣetra tradition is introduced as the subject of praise.
No ritual is prescribed here; it initiates the teaching by requesting the tīrtha’s māhātmya.