Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23
पुराणज्ञस्तथा ज्ञानी विज्ञेयो ज्येष्ठसामवित् । अथर्वशिरसो वेत्ता क्रतुगामी सुकर्मकृत्
purāṇajñastathā jñānī vijñeyo jyeṣṭhasāmavit | atharvaśiraso vettā kratugāmī sukarmakṛt
പുരാണജ്ഞനും ജ്ഞാനിയും, ജ്യേഷ്ഠസാമം അറിയുന്നവൻ, അതർവശിരസ്സിന്റെ വേദ്ത്ത, യജ്ഞവിധിയിൽ നിപുണൻ, സത്കർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ—ഇവനെയാണ് യജ്ഞാദി പവിത്രകർമ്മങ്ങൾക്ക് യോഗ്യനായ സത്യബ്രാഹ്മണനായി തിരിച്ചറിയേണ്ടത്।
Unspecified (Nāgarakhaṇḍa narrative voice; likely a Purāṇic teacher addressing a royal or disciple figure in Tīrthamāhātmya context)
Scene: A learned brāhmaṇa is identified and honored: one hand holds a Purāṇa manuscript, another gestures in teaching; behind him, a sāman-chanting group and a small sacrificial altar; the yajamāna offers respect.
FAQs
Śrāddha and other sacred rites should be supported by genuine learning and righteous conduct; inner qualification matters, not mere birth-status.
This verse functions as ritual guidance within the Tīrthamāhātmya flow; the specific tīrtha is not named in this single shloka excerpt.
It defines the qualifications of a Brāhmaṇa suitable for rites like Śrāddha—Purāṇa-knowledge, Vedic chant-knowledge, Atharvaśiras lore, and competence in yajña.