Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5
ऋषय ऊचुः । ओषधीनामधीशस्य कथं सोमस्य सूतज । क्षयव्याधिः पुरा जाता उपशांतिं कथं गतः
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | oṣadhīnāmadhīśasya kathaṃ somasya sūtaja | kṣayavyādhiḥ purā jātā upaśāṃtiṃ kathaṃ gataḥ
Para resi berkata: “Wahai putera Sūta, bagaimana Soma—penguasa segala herba ubatan—pada zaman dahulu boleh ditimpa penyakit susut? Dan bagaimana pula penyakit itu menjadi reda?”
Ṛṣis (sages)
Listener: Sūta (addressed as sūtaja)
Scene: A forest hermitage assembly: sages seated in a semicircle, questioning the Sūta about Soma’s ancient wasting disease and its pacification; subtle lunar iconography (crescent, cool rays) contrasts with the theme of decline.
FAQs
Inquiry into sacred history is itself a dharmic act, opening the way to understand the power of tīrthas and devotion.
Indirectly, Somēśvara tīrtha—since the sages are asking about Soma’s cure connected to that worship.
None in this verse; it initiates the explanatory narrative about disease, worship, and pacification.