Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 57
व्यास उवाच । भगवन्ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन विस्तरात्सरहस्यकम् । अयोध्याया महापुर्या महिमानं गुणाधिकम्
vyāsa uvāca | bhagavanbrūhi tattvena vistarātsarahasyakam | ayodhyāyā mahāpuryā mahimānaṃ guṇādhikam
வியாசர் கூறினார்—ஓ பகவனே! உண்மையோடு, விரிவாக, உள்ளார்ந்த இரகசியங்களுடன், உயர்ந்த குணங்கள் நிறைந்த மகாநகரமான அயோத்தியின் மகிமையைச் சொல்லும்.
Vyāsa
Tirtha: Ayodhyā Mahāpurī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)
Scene: Vyāsa, hands in añjali, respectfully requests Agastya to reveal Ayodhyā’s greatness with its hidden mysteries; the scene emphasizes humility and the sanctity of oral transmission.
FAQs
Sacred geography is not merely physical; it has an inner ‘rahasya’ that should be learned carefully from authoritative sages.
Ayodhyā Mahāpurī, introduced as supremely virtuous and worthy of detailed praise.
No direct prescription; the verse requests a comprehensive explanation that will include practices and their meanings.