Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27
अपूर्वेयं सुरश्रेष्ठ स्त्री वृद्धा तव पार्श्वगा । किमर्थं केयमाख्याहि कुतः प्राप्ता जनार्दन
apūrveyaṃ suraśreṣṭha strī vṛddhā tava pārśvagā | kimarthaṃ keyamākhyāhi kutaḥ prāptā janārdana
“Wahai yang terbaik antara para dewa, wanita tua yang berdiri di sisi-Mu ini sungguh luar biasa. Atas sebab apakah dia berada di sini? Beritahulah—siapakah dia dan dari mana dia datang, wahai Janārdana?”
Garuḍa (questioning Janārdana/Viṣṇu)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Garuḍa, slightly leaning forward in respectful curiosity, gestures toward the aged radiant woman beside Janārdana; Viṣṇu remains composed, ready to explain her identity.
FAQs
Sacred narratives begin with reverent inquiry—recognizing holiness in an unusual form and seeking its dharmic meaning.
Within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya setting, the verse functions as a narrative gateway; the specific tīrtha is contextual to Adhyāya 81 and is not named in this single verse.
None in this verse; it is a question initiating the account.