Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 1
ईश्वर उवाच । अथ वस्त्रापथे क्षेत्रे संति तीर्थानि कोटिशः । तथापि सारं ते वच्मि सर्वतीर्थमहोदयम्
īśvara uvāca | atha vastrāpathe kṣetre saṃti tīrthāni koṭiśaḥ | tathāpi sāraṃ te vacmi sarvatīrthamahodayam
อีศวรตรัสว่า: บัดนี้ในเขตวัสตราปถะมีทีรถะนับโกฏิ ถึงกระนั้นเราจักกล่าวแก่ท่านถึงแก่นแท้—มหาอุทัยแห่งทีรถะทั้งปวง อันเป็นบ่อเกิดมงคลยิ่ง
Īśvara (Śiva)
Tirtha: Vastrāpatha (all-tīrtha-mahodayam—‘great source of auspiciousness of all tīrthas’)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Īśvara speaks, gesturing over a sacred map-like landscape of Vastrāpatha filled with countless tīrthas, while a single radiant focal tīrtha shines as the ‘essence’.
FAQs
Among many sacred options, the Purāṇa highlights an essential focus-point—encouraging concentrated devotion rather than mere enumeration.
Vastrāpatha-kṣetra as a vast tīrtha-landscape containing innumerable holy spots.
No specific rite; the verse introduces a teaching that will identify the ‘sāra’ (core) among the tīrthas.