Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17
ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । कथयस्व महाभाग कथं ते गुरवः स्थिताः । कीदृशं च त्वया दृष्टं तेषां चैव विचेष्टितम्
brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ | kathayasva mahābhāga kathaṃ te guravaḥ sthitāḥ | kīdṛśaṃ ca tvayā dṛṣṭaṃ teṣāṃ caiva viceṣṭitam
ബ്രാഹ്മണർ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ മഹാഭാഗാ! പറയുക, നിങ്ങളുടെ ഗുരുക്കന്മാർ എങ്ങനെയാണ് നിലകൊള്ളുന്നത്? നിങ്ങൾ സ്വയം എന്താണ് കണ്ടത്, അവരുടെ ആചരണവും പ്രവർത്തനവും എങ്ങനെയായിരുന്നു?
Brāhmaṇas (in dialogue with the Atithi)
Listener: brāhmaṇas (assembly)
Scene: A circle of brāhmaṇas, hands folded, respectfully questioning a traveler/guest; the guest sits composed, ready to narrate.
FAQs
Purāṇic dharma values learning through authentic teachers and evaluating conduct (ācāra) alongside knowledge.
This verse is part of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya setting, but this particular line focuses on inquiry into teachers rather than naming a specific tīrtha.
No ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed in this verse; it is a dialogic prompt.