Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4
सूत उवाच । पुरासीत्तारकोनाम दानवोऽतिबलान्वितः । हिरण्याक्षस्य दायादस्त्रैलोक्यस्य भयावहः
sūta uvāca | purāsīttārakonāma dānavo'tibalānvitaḥ | hiraṇyākṣasya dāyādastrailokyasya bhayāvahaḥ
Sūta berkata: “Pada zaman dahulu ada seorang Dānava bernama Tāraka, dikurniai kekuatan yang amat besar; dia ialah pewaris Hiraṇyākṣa dan menjadi kengerian bagi tiga alam.”
Sūta
Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ
Scene: Sūta narrates the ancient age: a towering daitya Tāraka, armored and radiant with harsh power, casting fear across the three worlds; devas appear anxious in the background, skies darkened by ominous omens.
FAQs
Great power without dharma becomes a cause of fear for the worlds, setting the stage for divine correction and the sanctifying role of tīrthas.
The narrative trajectory is toward Gokarṇa, introduced in the immediately following verses as the place of Tāraka’s tapas.
None in this verse; it introduces the asura’s identity and threat.