Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 30
दृष्टाः पुरा महादेव गन्धर्वनगरे विभो । विश्वावसुगृहे कन्या असंख्याताः सहस्रशः
dṛṣṭāḥ purā mahādeva gandharvanagare vibho | viśvāvasugṛhe kanyā asaṃkhyātāḥ sahasraśaḥ
முன்னொரு காலத்தில், மகாதேவா, அனைத்திலும் நிறைந்த ஆண்டவனே, கந்தர்வ நகரத்தில் விஸ்வாவசுவின் இல்லத்தில் ஆயிரமாயிரம் எண்ணற்ற கன்னியர் காணப்பட்டனர்।
Nandī and Bhṛṅgī (reporting to Śiva, inferred from continuity)
Listener: Mahādeva (addressed) / King (frame)
Scene: A glimpse of Gandharva city—palatial halls in the house of Viśvāvasu—filled with innumerable maidens, shimmering like a celestial assembly, as the attendants describe the vision to Mahādeva.
FAQs
Even celestial realms and their riches are ultimately accountable to Śiva’s dharmic governance.
The broader narrative frame remains Dharmāraṇya; this verse momentarily points to Gandharva-nagara as part of the cosmic setting.
None; the verse supplies narrative information about the Gandharva realm and Viśvāvasu’s household.