Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 1
ऋषय ऊचुः । अर्बुदस्य च माहात्म्यं विस्तरेण वदस्व नः । कौतुकं सूत नो जातं कथयस्व यथा शुभम्
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | arbudasya ca māhātmyaṃ vistareṇa vadasva naḥ | kautukaṃ sūta no jātaṃ kathayasva yathā śubham
Para resi berkata: “Ceritakanlah kepada kami dengan terperinci kemuliaan Arbuda. Rasa ingin tahu telah bangkit dalam diri kami, wahai Sūta; kisahkanlah dengan cara yang membawa keberkatan.”
Ṛṣis (assembled sages)
Tirtha: Arbuda-māhātmya (requested)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Sūta
Scene: A circle of sages in a forest āśrama, leaning forward with attentive faces, addressing Sūta with palms joined, requesting the detailed glory of Arbuda.
FAQs
Right curiosity about sacred places leads to listening (śravaṇa) of māhātmya, which itself is considered auspicious.
Arbuda (Mount Abu region), whose greatness the sages request to hear.
None directly; it initiates the māhātmya through the act of hearing and narration.