Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56
एवमुच्चरमाणं मां प्रशस्याहापि पद्मभूः । साध्वेतन्नारदेनोक्तं धर्मैतद्वचनं कुरु । सम्मानय गुहं चापि गुहः स्वामी यतो हि नः । एवमुक्ते ब्रह्मणा च धर्मो वचनमब्रवीत्
evamuccaramāṇaṃ māṃ praśasyāhāpi padmabhūḥ | sādhvetannāradenoktaṃ dharmaitadvacanaṃ kuru | sammānaya guhaṃ cāpi guhaḥ svāmī yato hi naḥ | evamukte brahmaṇā ca dharmo vacanamabravīt
جب میں یوں کلام کر رہا تھا تو پدم بھو (برہما) نے میری ستائش کی اور کہا: “بہت خوب—نارد نے درست کہا ہے۔ اے دھرم، ان کلمات پر عمل کرو۔ اور گُہ (گوہا) کی بھی تعظیم کرو، کیونکہ گُہ ہی ہمارا سوامی ہے۔” برہما کے یوں کہنے پر دھرم نے ان الفاظ میں جواب دیا۔
Narrator within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa tradition (Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa), reporting Brahmā’s instruction and Dharma’s response
Tirtha: Stambhatīrtha (introduced in subsequent verses)
Listener: Brahmā, Dharma, and the divine assembly (with Nārada as catalyst)
Scene: A celestial sabhā: Brahmā (Padmabhū) seated on a lotus, addressing Dharma personified; Nārada present; Skanda/Guha’s eminence acknowledged, with attendants and subtle aura of command.
FAQs
Divine order (Dharma) is guided by higher counsel (Brahmā and Nārada), and honoring Skanda/Guha is affirmed as rightful devotion.
The verse sets the narrative authority that leads into Stambhatīrtha’s proclamation and merit (phala-śruti) later in the chapter.
The prescription is ‘sammānaya’—to honor Guha (Skanda); no specific vrata details are in this verse.