Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18
अथर्ववेदः प्रथमं द्रष्टव्यः कार्यसिद्धये । एतस्मात्कारणादाद्यः स चतुर्थोऽपि संस्थितः
atharvavedaḥ prathamaṃ draṣṭavyaḥ kāryasiddhaye | etasmātkāraṇādādyaḥ sa caturtho'pi saṃsthitaḥ
কার্যসিদ্ধির জন্য প্রথমেই অথর্ববেদ দেখা উচিত; এই কারণেই ব্যবহারিক দৃষ্টিতে তা ‘প্রথম’, যদিও গণনায় তা ‘চতুর্থ’ হিসেবে প্রতিষ্ঠিত।
Bhartṛyajña
Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: dvijottamāḥ (implied continuing audience)
Scene: A teacher explains the four Vedas with Atharvaveda highlighted as practically prior; a symbolic arrangement shows three Vedas in order and Atharva placed forward as ‘first for success’.
FAQs
Scriptural ranking can be contextual: for effective action (kārya-siddhi), the tradition prioritizes the Atharvaveda’s practical methods.
This verse is doctrinal and does not name a tīrtha; it occurs within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya framework.
A procedural instruction is given: consult Atharvaveda first when seeking success in a specific undertaking.