Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2
धर्मराजेन सा दृष्टा वर्द्धनी च वराप्सरा । महत्यरण्ये का ह्येषा सुन्दरांग्यतिसुन्दरी
dharmarājena sā dṛṣṭā varddhanī ca varāpsarā | mahatyaraṇye kā hyeṣā sundarāṃgyatisundarī
धर्मराज ने उसे देखा—वर्द्धनी नाम की श्रेष्ठ अप्सरा। उस विशाल अरण्य में (वे सोचने लगे)—‘यह कौन है, सुन्दर अंगों वाली, अत्यन्त सुन्दरी?’
Narrator (contextual; following Vyāsa’s narration)
Tirtha: Dharmāraṇyaka (episode locale)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Dharmarāja in simple attire in a dense forest, turning toward a luminous apsaras named Varddhanī; her presence is otherworldly—silks, ornaments, and a faint celestial glow—contrasting with the wild terrain.
FAQs
Even exalted beings meet unexpected tests; discernment begins with inquiry rather than impulsive reaction.
The verse situates the event in a ‘great forest’ (araṇya) without naming a specific tīrtha in this line.
None; it is narrative setup.