Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4
के यूयं विकृताकारा मया दृष्टा न कर्हिचित् । एवंविधा नृलोकेऽत्र भ्रमता प्राग्विभीषणाः
ke yūyaṃ vikṛtākārā mayā dṛṣṭā na karhicit | evaṃvidhā nṛloke'tra bhramatā prāgvibhīṣaṇāḥ
“Siapakah kalian, berwujud demikian mengerikan dan ganjil? Aku belum pernah melihat makhluk seperti kalian. Bagaimana yang sedemikian menakutkan berkeliaran di dunia manusia ini?”
King Vidūratha (identified in the next verse; deduced here as the questioner)
Scene: The king addresses the three distorted beings, pointing or gesturing in inquiry; the pretas stand/hover with grotesque features, creating a stark contrast between human order and uncanny disorder.
FAQs
Right inquiry begins with confronting the uncanny; asking ‘who are you?’ opens the path to understanding karma, suffering, and remedial dharma.
No site is named; the verse is part of the approach narrative that leads into tīrtha-centered instruction.
None; it is a direct question initiating the teaching exchange.