Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13
ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । आथर्वणश्चतुर्थस्तु ब्राह्मणः परिकीर्तितः । स कस्मात्प्रथमः प्रश्नो नागराणां प्रकीर्तितः
brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ | ātharvaṇaścaturthastu brāhmaṇaḥ parikīrtitaḥ | sa kasmātprathamaḥ praśno nāgarāṇāṃ prakīrtitaḥ
The Brāhmaṇas said: “The Atharvan is proclaimed as the fourth among the Brāhmaṇas’ Vedas. Why then is the Atharvan spoken of as the first question among the Nāgaras?”
Brāhmaṇas (assembled sages/priests)
Listener: Bhartṛyajña
Scene: A circle of brāhmaṇas respectfully questions the speaker about why Atharvan, though counted fourth, is treated as the first ‘praśna’ among Nāgaras.
FAQs
True dharma asks for the reason behind tradition—scriptural order and practical priority can differ, and both must be understood.
The broader passage sits in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya within Nāgara-khaṇḍa, though this verse itself focuses on Vedic prioritization rather than a site-description.
No direct rite is prescribed here; it introduces a doctrinal question about why Atharvaveda is treated as primary in inquiry.
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