Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21
अद्य नो दिवसः पुण्यः स्थानमद्योत्तमं त्विदम् । यत्त्वया विप्रप्रवर स्वयमागमनं कृतम्
adya no divasaḥ puṇyaḥ sthānamadyottamaṃ tvidam | yattvayā viprapravara svayamāgamanaṃ kṛtam
இன்று எங்கள் நாள் புண்ணியமாயிற்று; இன்று இவ்விடம் மிகச் சிறந்ததாயிற்று; ஏனெனில், ஓ விப்ரப்ரவரா, நீங்கள் தாமே இங்கு வந்தீர்கள்।
Brāhmaṇas (headed by Hārīta) addressing the Atithi
Type: kshetra
Scene: The brāhmaṇas proclaim the day blessed and the place exalted, gesturing toward the guest as the cause of auspiciousness.
FAQs
The presence of a virtuous guest sanctifies time and space; holiness is intensified through contact with the righteous.
The verse glorifies the immediate “place” (sthāna) by the guest’s arrival, but does not name a particular tīrtha.
No explicit ritual; the dharmic principle is honoring the guest as a source of puṇya.