Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 24
ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशां मध्ये शूद्रचण्डालजातिषु । कस्त्वं कथय सत्यं मे कस्माच्च निहतो द्विजः
brahmakṣatraviśāṃ madhye śūdracaṇḍālajātiṣu | kastvaṃ kathaya satyaṃ me kasmācca nihato dvijaḥ
ബ്രാഹ്മണർ, ക്ഷത്രിയർ, വൈശ്യർ—അതുപോലെ ശൂദ്ര-ചണ്ഡാല ജാതികളിലും—നീ ആരാണ്? എനിക്ക് സത്യം പറയുക; ആ ദ്വിജൻ എന്തുകൊണ്ട് കൊല്ലപ്പെട്ടു?
Dīrghatapā (addressing the unknown suppliant)
Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)
Type: river
Listener: Citrasena
Scene: The sage interrogates firmly yet fairly, enumerating social groups and demanding truthful identity and motive for the slaying of a dvija; the listener stands attentive, tension contained.
FAQs
Dharma requires truthful disclosure and accountability before any expiatory path can be prescribed.
The Revākhaṇḍa framework points to Revā/Narmadā tīrthas; this verse functions as dialogue groundwork rather than explicit glorification.
None; it is a diagnostic question preceding prāyaścitta.