Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 68
वेनस्य राज्ञश्चरितं पृथोश्चैव महात्मनः । यथा तत्राभवन्मुक्तिस्तस्य चांडालयोनितः । तत्सर्वं शृणु देवेशि सम्यक्छ्रद्धासमान्विता
venasya rājñaścaritaṃ pṛthoścaiva mahātmanaḥ | yathā tatrābhavanmuktistasya cāṃḍālayonitaḥ | tatsarvaṃ śṛṇu deveśi samyakchraddhāsamānvitā
தேவேசீ, உறுதியான பக்தி-நம்பிக்கையுடன் கேள்—வேன அரசனின் வரலாறும், மகாத்மா ப்ருது அவர்களின் செயல்களும்; மேலும் சாண்டாள யோனியில் பிறந்திருந்தாலும் அங்கே அவனுக்கு எவ்வாறு முக்தி ஏற்பட்டது என்பதையும் முழுதாகக் கேள்.
Skanda (deduced; addressing a goddess as listener—deveśi—within māhātmya narration)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī (addressed as Deveśī)
Scene: The narrator invites the Devī to listen; in a visionary montage, King Vena’s troubled reign contrasts with Pṛthu’s righteous rule; a humble figure of cāṇḍāla birth attains liberation at Prabhāsa, rising toward light near the sacred shore/temple.
FAQs
The tīrtha’s grace and dharma-centered transformation can lead to liberation even for one of marginalized birth, when approached with faith.
The phrase ‘tatra’ continues the Prabhāsa-kṣetra context; liberation is said to occur there.
No new ritual is prescribed here; it introduces an itihāsa meant to illustrate the previously taught tīrtha-dharma.