Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 57
व्यास उवाच । भगवन्ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन विस्तरात्सरहस्यकम् । अयोध्याया महापुर्या महिमानं गुणाधिकम्
vyāsa uvāca | bhagavanbrūhi tattvena vistarātsarahasyakam | ayodhyāyā mahāpuryā mahimānaṃ guṇādhikam
วยาสะกล่าวว่า: ข้าแต่ภควัน โปรดตรัสบอกตามความจริงโดยพิสดาร พร้อมทั้งเร้นลับภายใน ถึงมหิมาแห่งมหานครอโยธยา อันอุดมด้วยคุณอันประเสริฐยิ่ง
Vyāsa
Tirtha: Ayodhyā Mahāpurī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)
Scene: Vyāsa, hands in añjali, respectfully requests Agastya to reveal Ayodhyā’s greatness with its hidden mysteries; the scene emphasizes humility and the sanctity of oral transmission.
FAQs
Sacred geography is not merely physical; it has an inner ‘rahasya’ that should be learned carefully from authoritative sages.
Ayodhyā Mahāpurī, introduced as supremely virtuous and worthy of detailed praise.
No direct prescription; the verse requests a comprehensive explanation that will include practices and their meanings.