Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55
सदैव नक्ते पूजोक्ता सदा नक्ते तु भोजनम् । नक्त एव हि होमोऽयं नक्त एव क्षमापनम्
sadaiva nakte pūjoktā sadā nakte tu bhojanam | nakta eva hi homo'yaṃ nakta eva kṣamāpanam
Puja sirf raat ko hi muqarrar hai, aur khana bhi hamesha raat ko hi khana chahiye. Yeh havan bhi raat ko hi hona chahiye aur maafi bhi raat ko hi mangni chahiye.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa typically Skanda instructing Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A quiet night in Kāśī: devotee performs pūjā by lamplight, later offers homa; a simple night meal awaits; finally the devotee bows in kṣamā-prārthanā, hands folded, eyes lowered.
FAQs
Spiritual discipline is strengthened by clear constraints—timing, restraint, and accountability through atonement.
The instruction belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s vrata tradition associated with Kāśī.
Nakta observance: pūjā, meal, homa, and kṣamāpanā are all to be performed at night.