Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 99
ततः शुक्रं समासाद्य दीनः प्राह कृतांजलिः । पश्य मे भार्गवश्रेष्ठ स्त्रीभिर्यत्कदनं कृतम्
tataḥ śukraṃ samāsādya dīnaḥ prāha kṛtāṃjaliḥ | paśya me bhārgavaśreṣṭha strībhiryatkadanaṃ kṛtam
แล้วเขาผู้ทุกข์ร้อนเข้าไปหา ศุกราจารย์ ผู้ประเสริฐแห่งสายภารคพ ประนมมือกล่าวว่า “ข้าแต่ผู้เลิศแห่งวงศ์ภฤคุ โปรดทอดพระเนตร ความพินาศที่สตรีทั้งหลายได้กระทำแก่ข้าพเจ้า”
Unspecified (a distressed petitioner addressing Śukra; likely Andhaka in this narrative sequence)
Scene: A battered dānava approaches Śukra with folded hands; Śukra stands calm, radiant, holding a staff or kamaṇḍalu, listening as the defeated one laments the ‘women’s’ devastation.
FAQs
Even the powerful must bow in humility; sincere supplication (kṛtāñjali) is the doorway to guidance and remedial dharma.
This verse itself is narrative setup; the subsequent passage moves toward the Hāṭakeśvara kṣetra described as siddhi-pradāyaka.
None in this verse; it introduces the plea that leads to ritual action in the following adhyāya.