Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 67
तदा ब्रह्मादयो देवा ऋषयश्च विपश्चितः । प्रणम्य नंदिनं प्राहुः कस्मात्त्वं वानराननः । तत्सर्वं कथयान्यं च रावणस्य तपोबलम्
tadā brahmādayo devā ṛṣayaśca vipaścitaḥ | praṇamya naṃdinaṃ prāhuḥ kasmāttvaṃ vānarānanaḥ | tatsarvaṃ kathayānyaṃ ca rāvaṇasya tapobalam
Lalu Brahmā dan para dewa yang lain, bersama para resi yang arif, menunduk memberi hormat kepada Nandin lalu berkata: “Mengapakah engkau berwajah seperti kera? Ceritakanlah semuanya itu, dan jelaskan juga kekuatan tapa Rāvaṇa.”
Narrator (contextual; sages address Nandin)
Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Nandin (as respondent)
Scene: A celestial council: Brahmā, devas, and ṛṣis bow to Nandin; their hands folded, faces inquisitive. Nandin’s distinctive monkey-like visage becomes the focal curiosity, foreshadowing a backstory involving Rāvaṇa’s tapas.
FAQs
Even gods and sages approach Śiva’s attendants with humility; true knowledge is sought through reverent inquiry into dharma and the consequences of tapas.
The setting belongs to Kedārakhaṇḍa (Kedāra sacred region) within the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, framing the narrative in Śaiva sacred geography.
No direct ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed in this verse; it introduces a sacred dialogue about tapas and its fruits.