ईश्वर उवाच । इदं रहस्यं देवेशि यत्त्वया परिपृच्छितम् । अप्रकाश्यमिदं तीर्थमस्मिन्पापयुगे प्रिये
īśvara uvāca | idaṃ rahasyaṃ deveśi yattvayā paripṛcchitam | aprakāśyamidaṃ tīrthamasminpāpayuge priye
พระอิศวรตรัสว่า “โอ้เทวีผู้เป็นใหญ่ ความลับที่เจ้าถามมานั้น—โอ้ที่รัก ในยุคอันเศร้าหมองด้วยบาปนี้ ไม่ควรเปิดเผยตถาคตแห่งทีรถะอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์นี้”
Īśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Unnamed secret tīrtha within Prabhāsa (context later identifies associated river/spot)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī (Devēśī)
Scene: Īśvara speaks privately to Devī, emphasizing that the asked secret about the tīrtha should not be publicized in the sinful age; the mood is protective and solemn.
Sacred knowledge about powerful tīrthas should be handled with restraint and transmitted only with discernment, especially in an age dominated by adharma.
A confidential tīrtha within Prabhāsa-kṣetra is being introduced; its explicit details unfold in the subsequent verses.
A cautionary rule is given: the tīrtha’s secret is not to be publicly proclaimed in the sinful age.