Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2
सूत उवाच । आसीत्पूर्वं महीपाल इक्ष्वाकुकुलनन्दनः । रुद्रसेन इति ख्यातः सर्वशत्रुनिषूदनः
sūta uvāca | āsītpūrvaṃ mahīpāla ikṣvākukulanandanaḥ | rudrasena iti khyātaḥ sarvaśatruniṣūdanaḥ
സൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു— പൂർവ്വകാലത്ത് ഇക്ഷ്വാകുകുലത്തിന്റെ ആനന്ദമായ ഒരു മഹീപാല രാജാവുണ്ടായിരുന്നു; ‘രുദ്രസേനൻ’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധനായ അവൻ സർവ്വശത്രുനാശകനായിരുന്നു.
Sūta
Tirtha: Mahākāla (contextual target of the chapter)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis
Scene: Sūta narrates the emergence of King Rudrasena: a regal figure on a throne with solar-dynasty insignia, attendants holding chowries, and a subtle Śiva emblem (trident) foreshadowing Mahākāla connection.
FAQs
Purāṇas often ground tīrtha-glory in exemplary lives—here, a righteous king becomes the vehicle for teaching devotion and merit.
The chapter’s focus remains Mahākāla’s sacred domain; this verse introduces the devotee-king connected to that glory.
None in this verse; it introduces the protagonist whose later vows and worship will be described.