Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 63
शिरस्तु पूजयेद्देवि आयुष्यं वर्चसेति वै । गायत्र्या तु शिखां पूज्य नैरृत्यां तु व्यवस्थिताम्
śirastu pūjayeddevi āyuṣyaṃ varcaseti vai | gāyatryā tu śikhāṃ pūjya nairṛtyāṃ tu vyavasthitām
ஓ தேவி, ‘ஆயுஷ்யம் வர்சஸே’ என்ற மந்திரத்தால் சிரத்தைப் பூஜிக்க வேண்டும். மேலும் நைர்ருத்யத்தில் உள்ள சிகையை காயத்ரியால் பூஜிக்க வேண்டும்।
Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narrative style)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Addressed as ‘devi’ (female interlocutor)
Scene: The worshipper offers to the head region with a mantra for longevity and radiance; then, facing the southwest quarter, empowers the śikhā with Gāyatrī, as Āditya’s light crowns the scene.
FAQs
Purity of mind and life-force is sought through mantra—longevity and radiance are treated as dharmic fruits of disciplined worship.
Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where such mantra-worship is presented as especially efficacious.
Head worship with the phrase ‘āyuṣyaṃ varcase’ and śikhā worship using the Gāyatrī, aligned to the southwest placement.