Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1
सूत उवाच । मुनिपृष्टास्तदा देवा भगवंस्ते किमब्रुवन् । सर्वलोकहितार्थाय तदाख्याहि महामुने
sūta uvāca | munipṛṣṭāstadā devā bhagavaṃste kimabruvan | sarvalokahitārthāya tadākhyāhi mahāmune
সূত ক’লে: মুনিয়ে যেতিয়া দেৱতাসকলক সুধিলে, তেতিয়া সেই পূজনীয় ভগৱন্তসদৃশ দেৱসকলে কি উত্তৰ দিলে? সকলো লোকৰ মঙ্গলৰ্থে, হে মহামুনে, সেই কথা কৃপা কৰি ক’বা।
Sūta
Listener: (Addressed) a great sage (mahāmune)—within the Naimiṣāraṇya frame typically Śaunaka
Scene: A forest hermitage assembly: Sūta stands or sits respectfully, addressing a great sage, requesting the gods’ reply for the welfare of all worlds; listeners sit in orderly rows with palm-leaf manuscripts and sacrificial fires nearby.
FAQs
Purāṇic teaching is presented as loka-hita—wisdom meant for the spiritual welfare of all beings.
The ongoing context is Kāśīkhaṇḍa (glorification of Kāśī), though this verse functions as a narrative transition.
None; the verse requests transmission of the devas’ teaching.