Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31
अथ तस्य पिता तत्र मृकंडो मुनिसत्तमः । ततो भार्यासमायुक्तो विललाप सुदुःखितः
atha tasya pitā tatra mṛkaṃḍo munisattamaḥ | tato bhāryāsamāyukto vilalāpa suduḥkhitaḥ
Bấy giờ tại đó, cha của cậu—hiền giả Mṛkaṇḍu, bậc tối thắng trong hàng thánh nhân—cùng với vợ mình, than khóc thảm thiết, lòng chìm ngập trong sầu khổ.
Narrator (Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta tradition in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa)
Scene: In a forest hermitage, Mṛkaṇḍu—aged sage—sits with his wife; both are overwhelmed, faces wet with tears, hands raised in lament; the hut, sacred fire, and quiet trees witness their sorrow.
FAQs
Even the wisest sages experience human grief; Purāṇic narratives validate emotion while guiding it back toward dharma and faith.
The Arbuda region forms the narrative backdrop, though this verse centers on the sage’s household sorrow rather than a named tīrtha.
None stated; the verse introduces the emotional setting that will lead to dharmic resolution.