Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 29
कुतः प्राप्तोऽसि विप्रेंद्र प्रस्थितः क्व च सांप्रतम् । केन कार्येण चेद्गुह्यं न तेऽस्ति वद सांप्रतम्
kutaḥ prāpto'si vipreṃdra prasthitaḥ kva ca sāṃpratam | kena kāryeṇa cedguhyaṃ na te'sti vada sāṃpratam
«Ô le meilleur des brāhmanes, d’où es-tu venu, et vers où pars-tu à présent ? Et dans quel dessein ? Si cela n’est pas un secret pour toi, dis-le-moi sur-le-champ.»
Indra (Śakra)
Listener: Nārada
Scene: Indra, after honoring Nārada, asks three formal questions—origin, destination, and purpose—requesting disclosure if not secret; Nārada listens poised to respond.
FAQs
Respectful inquiry and openness to guidance from sages is portrayed as a dharmic virtue, even among the gods.
Not named here; the verse prepares for a tīrtha-yātrā explanation in the next response.
None directly; it follows the hospitality act of arghya and moves into dialogue.