Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20
दक्षिणोत्तरतो यावत्समुद्रा त्कौरवेश्वरी । पूर्वपश्चिमतो यावद्गोमुखाच्चाश्वमेधिकम् । एतद्गर्भगृहं प्रोक्तं कैलासान्मम वल्लभम्
dakṣiṇottarato yāvatsamudrā tkauraveśvarī | pūrvapaścimato yāvadgomukhāccāśvamedhikam | etadgarbhagṛhaṃ proktaṃ kailāsānmama vallabham
จากทิศใต้สู่ทิศเหนือ แผ่จากมหาสมุทรถึงเการเวศวรี; จากทิศตะวันออกสู่ทิศตะวันตก จากโคมุขะถึงอัศวเมธิกะ. นี้แลคือครรภคฤหะ—อันเป็นที่รักยิ่งของเรา ยิ่งกว่าคೈลาสะด้วยซ้ำ.
Skanda (deduced; devotional claim suggests divine authority within Mahatmya narration)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa garbhagṛha (bounded by Samudra–Kauraveśvarī; Gomukha–Aśvamedhika)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī (Deveśi)
Scene: A directional tableau: the ocean to one side, four boundary tīrthas as guardian points, and a radiant central sanctum; Śiva indicates the perimeter to Devī, emphasizing ‘dearer than Kailāsa’.
FAQs
The Purāṇa teaches that certain earthly kṣetras can embody a sanctity so intimate that they are praised as dearer than even divine abodes, inspiring pilgrimage as direct encounter with sacred presence.
The garbhagṛha (innermost sacred zone) of Prabhāsa, bounded by Samudra–Kauraveśvarī and Gomukha–Aśvamedhika.
No explicit rite; the verse precisely delineates the innermost pilgrimage zone for focused visitation and worship.