Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1
युधिष्ठिर उवाच । कावेरीति च विख्याता त्रिषु लोकेषु सत्तम । माहात्म्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तस्या मार्कण्ड तत्त्वतः
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kāverīti ca vikhyātā triṣu lokeṣu sattama | māhātmyaṃ śrotumicchāmi tasyā mārkaṇḍa tattvataḥ
युधिष्ठिर म्हणाला—हे सत्तम! कावेरी नावाने प्रसिद्ध ती नदी त्रिलोकीत विख्यात आहे. हे मार्कण्डेय! तिचे माहात्म्य तत्त्वतः ऐकण्याची माझी इच्छा आहे.
Yudhiṣṭhira
Tirtha: Kāverī
Type: river
Listener: Mārkaṇḍeya (to answer)
Scene: Forest hermitage scene: Yudhiṣṭhira seated respectfully before sage Mārkaṇḍeya; behind them a river personified as a goddess (Kāverī) rises from flowing waters, indicating ‘three-world renown’.
FAQs
Dharma begins with śravaṇa (reverent listening): seeking the true greatness of a sacred river refines faith and directs pilgrimage rightly.
Kāverī is introduced as a three-world-renowned sacred river, setting up the Kāverī-saṅgama (confluence) glorification in the chapter.
No rite yet; it is an inquiry initiating the māhātmya narration.