Agni Purāṇa
181 - Vows observed on the sixth lunar day
Agni said:
1-2. Ishall describe vows (to be performed) on the sixth lunar day. Itshould be done in the months of) kärttika (November December) etc. One who cats fruits and offers libation etc. on the sixth lunar day gets enjoyment and emancipation. The skandashashți vow (done) on the sixth lunar day in (the month of) bhādra (pada) (September October) is said to (confer) undiminishing (benefits). Ishall describe the krishņa shashțivrata thatshould be done in (the month of (märgaširsha) (December-January) remaining without food for a year. One would get enjoyment and cmancipation (by that).
Summary of chapter 181 of the Agni Purāṇa is as follows:
Vratas on the sixth tithi are described, with primary focus on Skanda-worship. The Kārtika-kṛṣṇa-ṣaṣṭhī vrata, known as Skanda-ṣaṣṭhī, requires a fruit-only diet and the offering of arghya to Kārttikeya at dusk; this observance grants both worldly enjoyment (bhukti) and ultimate liberation (mukti). The Bhādrapada-kṛṣṇa-ṣaṣṭhī is similarly associated with Skanda, and the Mārgaśīrṣa variant is called Akṣaya-ṣaṣṭhī because its merit is inexhaustible. The chapter connects the sixth tithi with the six-faced lord Ṣaṇmukha, whose blessing on this day removes all enemies internal and external.
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