Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51
उवाच च प्रसन्नात्मा ज्योतीरूपो महेश्वरः । वरं ब्रूहि महाबुद्धे बुधान्य विबुधोत्तमः
uvāca ca prasannātmā jyotīrūpo maheśvaraḥ | varaṃ brūhi mahābuddhe budhānya vibudhottamaḥ
ప్రసన్నహృదయుడైన జ్యోతిరూప మహేశ్వరుడు పలికాడు—“ఓ మహాబుద్ధిమంతుడైన బుధా, జ్ఞానులలో శ్రేష్ఠుడా, వరం కోరుకో।”
Skanda (narrating Śiva’s words to Agastya, deduced from context)
Tirtha: Budheśvara (Kāśī)
Type: temple
Scene: A luminous Maheśvara, formed of light, appears before Budha and speaks gently, offering a boon; Budha stands or kneels with folded hands.
FAQs
When tapas is mature, Śiva’s grace arises naturally; divine boons follow inner purification.
Budheśvara in Kāśī, where Maheśvara manifests and grants boons.
No explicit rite; it highlights the fruit of sustained liṅga-upāsanā and tapas.