Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1
सूत उवाच । संप्रस्थितस्य रामस्य स्वकीयं सदनं प्रति । यदाश्चर्यमभून्मार्गे श्रूयतां द्विजसत्तमाः
sūta uvāca | saṃprasthitasya rāmasya svakīyaṃ sadanaṃ prati | yadāścaryamabhūnmārge śrūyatāṃ dvijasattamāḥ
Sūta berkata: Ketika Rāma berangkat menuju kediamannya sendiri, suatu peristiwa yang menakjubkan terjadi di perjalanan. Dengarlah, wahai yang terbaik antara kaum dwija (dua kali lahir).
Sūta
Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (assembled brāhmaṇas/ṛṣis)
Scene: Sūta addresses assembled brāhmaṇa-sages, announcing that as Rāma departed for his home, a wondrous event occurred on the way, inviting attentive listening.
FAQs
Approach sacred narratives with attentive listening (śravaṇa), for wonders on a dhārmic journey often disclose the hidden greatness of a holy place.
This opening verse introduces the episode that will reveal the glory of a kṣetra soon identified as Hāṭakeśvara.
None explicitly here; it functions as a narrative preface inviting śravaṇa (devotional hearing).