Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27
अपूर्वेयं सुरश्रेष्ठ स्त्री वृद्धा तव पार्श्वगा । किमर्थं केयमाख्याहि कुतः प्राप्ता जनार्दन
apūrveyaṃ suraśreṣṭha strī vṛddhā tava pārśvagā | kimarthaṃ keyamākhyāhi kutaḥ prāptā janārdana
ഹേ ദേവശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! നിന്റെ പക്കൽ നിൽക്കുന്ന ഈ വൃദ്ധസ്ത്രീ അത്യപൂർവയാണ്. അവൾ ഇവിടെ എന്തിനാണ്? പറയുക—അവൾ ആരാണ്, എവിടെ നിന്നാണ് വന്നത്, ഹേ ജനാർദനാ?
Garuḍa (questioning Janārdana/Viṣṇu)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Garuḍa, slightly leaning forward in respectful curiosity, gestures toward the aged radiant woman beside Janārdana; Viṣṇu remains composed, ready to explain her identity.
FAQs
Sacred narratives begin with reverent inquiry—recognizing holiness in an unusual form and seeking its dharmic meaning.
Within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya setting, the verse functions as a narrative gateway; the specific tīrtha is contextual to Adhyāya 81 and is not named in this single verse.
None in this verse; it is a question initiating the account.