Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2
मथुरानाम विख्याता नगरी धरणीतले । तत्र विप्रोऽभवत्पूर्वं देवशर्मेति विश्रुतः । अगस्त्यगोत्रो विद्वान्वै स तु दारिद्र्यपीडितः
mathurānāma vikhyātā nagarī dharaṇītale | tatra vipro'bhavatpūrvaṃ devaśarmeti viśrutaḥ | agastyagotro vidvānvai sa tu dāridryapīḍitaḥ
على وجه الأرض كانت مدينةٌ مشهورة تُدعى ماثورا. وكان فيها قديمًا براهمنٌ ذائع الصيت يُعرف بديفاشرمان؛ عالمٌ من سلالة أغاستيا، غير أنّ الفقر كان يضيق عليه ويؤذيه.
Śiva (Īśvara) — continuing narrative to Pārvatī
Tirtha: Mathurā
Type: kshetra
Scene: A renowned cityscape of Mathurā with ghāṭs and temples; a humble, learned brāhmaṇa Devaśarman in simple garments, holding palm-leaf manuscripts, his home sparse—signifying poverty amid learning.
FAQs
Purāṇas often frame tīrtha-māhātmya through human struggle, showing that worldly hardship can become the doorway to sacred merit.
The immediate setting names Mathurā; the broader chapter context belongs to Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya leading toward Anarakeśvara.
None in this verse; it introduces a character for a forthcoming sacred narrative.