Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 12
एवमुक्त्वा तु देवेशो गौरवर्णो द्विजोऽभवत् । क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठो जटिलः शुष्को धमनिसंततः
evamuktvā tu deveśo gauravarṇo dvijo'bhavat | kṣutkṣāmakaṇṭho jaṭilaḥ śuṣko dhamanisaṃtataḥ
ครั้นตรัสดังนั้นแล้ว เทพเหนือเทพก็แปลงเป็นพราหมณ์ผิวผ่อง ลำคอแห้งผากเพราะความหิว ผมเป็นชฎา กายซูบแห้ง และเส้นเอ็นปูดเด่น
Narrator (contextual)
Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Devadeveśa transforms into a pale brāhmaṇa: emaciated, parched throat, matted hair, dried body with prominent veins—an intentional, poignant disguise to evoke compassion and prompt giving.
FAQs
The Lord may appear in humble, needy forms to draw out dharma—especially hospitality, compassion, and reverence toward brāhmaṇas.
The Revā Khaṇḍa setting indicates a Narmadā/Revā tīrtha where divine līlā reveals the tīrtha’s fruit.
No direct prescription is stated, but the scene sets up atithi-sevā (feeding a guest/brāhmaṇa) as a dhārmic act tied to merit.