Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21
तीर्थान्यूचुः । न वयं श्रेष्ठतां विद्मः कथंचन परस्परम् । अस्माद्धेतोश्च संप्राप्ता ज्ञात्वा देहि त्वमेव तत्
tīrthānyūcuḥ | na vayaṃ śreṣṭhatāṃ vidmaḥ kathaṃcana parasparam | asmāddhetośca saṃprāptā jñātvā dehi tvameva tat
เหล่าตีรถะกล่าวว่า “พวกเราไม่อาจรู้ได้เลยว่าใครประเสริฐกว่าใครในหมู่เรา ด้วยเหตุนี้เราจึงมาถึงที่นี่—ขอท่านจงตัดสินด้วยตนเอง แล้วประทานอรฺฆยะนั้นเถิด”
The Tīrthas (personified sacred places)
Listener: (Contextual) sages; within story: the speaker addressed by personified tīrthas
Scene: A circle of radiant tīrtha-personifications speaking in unison, palms joined, expressing that they cannot judge superiority among themselves and requesting the authority to decide.
FAQs
True greatness is free from rivalry; even tīrthas are portrayed as humble, leaving judgment to higher dharmic authority.
None by name; the collective voice of tīrthas sets the stage for the revelation of the foremost tīrtha.
The decision of the proper recipient should be ascertained by an authoritative knower before offering argha.