Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21
यथा तिलेस्थितं तैलं दधिसंस्थं यथा घृतम् । हविर्भुजश्च काष्ठस्थः सुगुप्तं लभ्यते न हि
yathā tilesthitaṃ tailaṃ dadhisaṃsthaṃ yathā ghṛtam | havirbhujaśca kāṣṭhasthaḥ suguptaṃ labhyate na hi
எள்ளில் எண்ணெய் மறைந்திருப்பதுபோல், தயிரில் நெய் நிலைத்திருப்பதுபோல்; ஹவியை உண்ணும் அக்னி மரக்கட்டையில் மறைந்திருப்பதுபோல்—ஆழ்ந்து மறைந்தது வெளிப்படுத்தாமல் பெறப்படாது.
Deductive: A devotee/narrator within the Tīrthamāhātmya recitation (speaker not explicit in this verse)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī (implied continuation of address)
Scene: Triptych-like imagery: sesame seeds pressed to yield oil; curd being churned to reveal ghee; a sage kindling fire from wood—symbolizing the extraction of the subtle from the gross through effort and method.
FAQs
The Divine presence is subtle and concealed; realization requires purposeful practice, like extracting oil, churning ghee, or kindling fire.
No tīrtha is named; the verse gives a general teaching supporting the chapter’s devotional context.
It indirectly points to disciplined effort (sādhana) and ritual action (kindling Agni) as means to reveal what is hidden.