Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11
ऋषय ऊचुः । शिवरात्रिः कथं जाता केनैषा च विनिर्मिता । कस्माद्बहुफला जाता सर्वं नो विस्तराद्वद
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | śivarātriḥ kathaṃ jātā kenaiṣā ca vinirmitā | kasmādbahuphalā jātā sarvaṃ no vistarādvada
เหล่าฤๅษีกล่าวว่า “ศิวราตรีเกิดขึ้นได้อย่างไร และผู้ใดเป็นผู้สถาปนา? เหตุใดจึงให้ผลมากนัก? ขอท่านจงบอกเราทั้งหมดโดยพิสดาร”
Ṛṣis (sages)
Tirtha: Śivarātri (vrata)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Sūta
Scene: Sages pressing for the backstory: ‘How was it born? Who established it? Why so fruitful?’ The storyteller poised to begin a sacred narrative; the night sky and liṅga shrine foreshadow the coming kathā.
FAQs
A vrata’s power is rooted in sacred history and divine authorization; understanding origin (utpatti) deepens faith and correct practice.
The inquiry belongs to the Maṃkaṇeśvara-centered tīrtha discourse of Adhyāya 266.
No specific rite here—this verse requests the narrative origin and the reason for Śivarātri’s great efficacy.