Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 39
धेनव ऊचुः । न गंतव्यं त्वया तत्र कथंचिदपि नंदिनि । आपद्धर्मं न वेत्सि त्वं नूनं येन प्रगच्छसि
dhenava ūcuḥ | na gaṃtavyaṃ tvayā tatra kathaṃcidapi naṃdini | āpaddharmaṃ na vetsi tvaṃ nūnaṃ yena pragacchasi
Lembu-lembu berkata: “Jangan sekali-kali engkau pergi ke sana, wahai Nandinī. Nescaya engkau tidak memahami dharma ketika ditimpa bencana; sebab itulah engkau mahu meneruskan langkah.”
Dhenavaḥ (the herd of cows)
Scene: A circle of cows speaks to Nandinī, heads lowered and eyes wide; one cow steps forward as spokesperson; the forest edge and tiger’s direction are implied; the mood is urgent yet caring.
FAQs
Dharma includes prudent counsel: in crisis, one must weigh duty with wise survival and communal responsibility.
Not stated in this verse; it is part of a Mahātmya chapter where ethical instruction accompanies sacred-place narration.
None; it introduces āpaddharma as a guiding principle rather than a ritual act.