Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2
होमो वाथ जपो वाथ दानं वा तद्वदस्व नः । सूत उवाच । यः कश्चिन्नियमो विप्राः प्रसुप्ते गरुडध्वजे
homo vātha japo vātha dānaṃ vā tadvadasva naḥ | sūta uvāca | yaḥ kaścinniyamo viprāḥ prasupte garuḍadhvaje
是行火供（homa），还是持诵（japa），还是布施？请告诉我们。苏多说道：诸婆罗门啊，当执迦楼罗旗的主安住于神圣睡眠之时，凡所修持的任何戒行——
Sūta
Type: kshetra
Listener: brāhmaṇas (assembled sages)
Scene: A group of brāhmaṇas respectfully question Sūta about which practice—homa, japa, or dāna—should be done during the period when Viṣṇu is in sacred sleep; the atmosphere is that of a pilgrimage assembly near a tīrtha.
FAQs
Even when the Lord is described as ‘asleep’ in yoganidrā, dharmic practice continues—homa, japa, and dāna become meaningful when aligned with the season’s discipline.
The teaching is embedded in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya context within Nāgara Khaṇḍa.
The verse enumerates homa, japa, and dāna as candidate practices; Sūta begins the rule that any such niyama done during this time yields great fruit.