Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4
तं प्रोवाच समेत्याशु शुक्रं दैत्यपुरोहितम् । मा त्वं भार्गवशार्दूल कुरु मांसपरिक्षयम्
taṃ provāca sametyāśu śukraṃ daityapurohitam | mā tvaṃ bhārgavaśārdūla kuru māṃsaparikṣayam
พระนางเสด็จเข้าไปโดยฉับพลัน แล้วตรัสแก่ศุกระ ปุโรหิตแห่งเหล่าไทตยะว่า “โอ้ผู้เป็นพยัคฆ์แห่งวงศ์ภฤคุ อย่ากระทำให้เนื้อกายของตนร่อยหรอเลย”
Devī Kelīśvarī (implied from prior verse)
Tirtha: Kelīśvarī (implied)
Type: kshetra
Scene: The goddess appears close, addressing Śukra directly; her gesture is protective, stopping him from further self-offering, while the triangular fire still burns beside them.
FAQs
Divine grace does not demand self-destruction; dharma balances austerity with compassion and preservation of the body for righteous ends.
The divine encounter occurs in the Hāṭakeśvara kṣetra, reinforcing its fame as a siddhi-bestowing place.
A prohibition within the rite: stop the extreme act of offering one’s own flesh (māṃsa-parikṣaya).