Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5
आचक्षाथामिदं देवौ यदि प्रीतिर्मयि प्रभू । ततस्तौ स्माहतुर्देवौ शुक्रस्य परमां कथाम्
ācakṣāthāmidaṃ devau yadi prītirmayi prabhū | tatastau smāhaturdevau śukrasya paramāṃ kathām
“Ipahayag ninyo sa akin ito, O mga banal na nilalang, kung may pag-ibig kayo sa akin, O mga panginoon.” Pagkaraan, ang dalawang diyos ay nagsimulang magsalaysay ng pinakadakilang kasaysayan ni Śukra.
Śivaśarman (request), then Narrator indicates Gaṇas continue
Tirtha: Kāśī (implicit)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śivaśarman
Scene: Śivaśarman respectfully petitions the two deities; they assent and begin narrating Śukra’s supreme story—an intimate moment of transmission, with gestures of blessing and attentive listening.
FAQs
Humility and devotion invite transmission of sacred knowledge through trustworthy divine narrators.
No tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a narrative bridge into Śukra’s account.
None; it introduces the forthcoming kathā (authoritative sacred narrative).