Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36
नारद उवाच । कथं च जायते गोत्रं कथं तु ज्ञायते कुलम् । कथं वा ज्ञायते देवी तद्वदस्व यथार्थतः
nārada uvāca | kathaṃ ca jāyate gotraṃ kathaṃ tu jñāyate kulam | kathaṃ vā jñāyate devī tadvadasva yathārthataḥ
નારદે કહ્યું—ગોત્ર કેવી રીતે ઉત્પન્ન થાય છે અને કુલ કેવી રીતે ઓળખાય છે? તેમજ દેવી કેવી રીતે જાણી શકાય? તે યથાર્થ રીતે કહો.
Nārada
Tirtha: Svasthāna (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Brahmā
Scene: Nārada, holding vīṇā, respectfully questions Brahmā seated on a lotus; the background shows a forest-hermitage ambience suggesting Dharmāraṇyaka; the scene emphasizes inquiry and precise instruction.
FAQs
A seeker should inquire into dharma with precision—understanding lineage and its sacred markers to perform rites correctly.
The discussion supports the Svasthāna/Dharmāraṇya context by clarifying how residents’ ritual identities are determined.
No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse requests authoritative criteria for determining gotra, kula, and the associated deity.