Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1
व्यास उवाच । श्रूयतां राजशार्दूल पुण्यमाख्यानमुत्तमम् । स्तूयमानो । जगन्नाथ इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
vyāsa uvāca | śrūyatāṃ rājaśārdūla puṇyamākhyānamuttamam | stūyamāno | jagannātha idaṃ vacanamabravīt
Vyāsa berkata: “Wahai harimau di antara raja-raja, dengarkan kisah yang paling utama dan penuh pahala ini. Saat dipuji, Jagannātha mengucapkan sabda ini.”
Vyāsa
Listener: A king (rājaśārdūla)
Scene: Vyāsa as narrator addressing a royal listener seated respectfully; behind them, a quiet āśrama setting; the transition to Jagannātha’s speech is anticipated.
FAQs
Śravaṇa (devout listening) to sacred narratives is itself meritorious and prepares the listener for dharmic instruction.
No specific tīrtha is named in this opening verse; it frames a holy discourse by Jagannātha.
Hearing (śravaṇa) the purāṇic account is implicitly prescribed as a dharmic practice yielding puṇya.