Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2
मथुरानाम विख्याता नगरी धरणीतले । तत्र विप्रोऽभवत्पूर्वं देवशर्मेति विश्रुतः । अगस्त्यगोत्रो विद्वान्वै स तु दारिद्र्यपीडितः
mathurānāma vikhyātā nagarī dharaṇītale | tatra vipro'bhavatpūrvaṃ devaśarmeti viśrutaḥ | agastyagotro vidvānvai sa tu dāridryapīḍitaḥ
ഭൂമിയിൽ മഥുരാ എന്ന പ്രസിദ്ധ നഗരി ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അവിടെ മുമ്പ് ദേവശർമൻ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധനായ ഒരു ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു—അഗസ്ത്യഗോത്രജനായ പണ്ഡിതൻ, എന്നാൽ ദാരിദ്ര്യപീഡിതൻ.
Śiva (Īśvara) — continuing narrative to Pārvatī
Tirtha: Mathurā
Type: kshetra
Scene: A renowned cityscape of Mathurā with ghāṭs and temples; a humble, learned brāhmaṇa Devaśarman in simple garments, holding palm-leaf manuscripts, his home sparse—signifying poverty amid learning.
FAQs
Purāṇas often frame tīrtha-māhātmya through human struggle, showing that worldly hardship can become the doorway to sacred merit.
The immediate setting names Mathurā; the broader chapter context belongs to Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya leading toward Anarakeśvara.
None in this verse; it introduces a character for a forthcoming sacred narrative.