Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 30
रङ्गभूमावुपाविश्य कारयामास ताण्डवम् । उपविष्टाः सुराः सर्वे यममारुतकिन्नराः
raṅgabhūmāvupāviśya kārayāmāsa tāṇḍavam | upaviṣṭāḥ surāḥ sarve yamamārutakinnarāḥ
அரங்கில் அமர்ந்து அவன் தாண்டவத்தை நிகழ்த்தச் செய்தான். யமன், மருதர்கள், கின்னரர்கள் உடன் எல்லாத் தேவர்களும் அமர்ந்து பார்த்தனர்.
Narrator
Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)
Type: river
Listener: nṛpa (king)
Scene: A grand performance-ground in heaven: a central figure seated, commanding a tāṇḍava; gods including Yama and Maruts sit as audience; Kinnaras present as celestial musicians.
FAQs
Purāṇas often use spectacle to reveal power dynamics: even sacred arts like dance become instruments when seized by adharma.
None; the setting is a celestial raṅgabhūmi within Svarga’s assembly.
No ritual prescription; it narrates a performance (tāṇḍava) arranged in the court.