Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49
न कुर्यादात्मनः श्रेयस्तेनात्मा वंचतश्चिरम् । देवासुराणां सर्वेषां मानुष्यमतिदुर्लभम्
na kuryādātmanaḥ śreyastenātmā vaṃcataściram | devāsurāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ mānuṣyamatidurlabham
إن لم يسعَ المرءُ إلى خيرِه الحقّ، فقد خدع نفسَه زمناً طويلاً. ولجميع الكائنات—سواء الآلهة (الدِّيفا) أم الأسورا—فإن نيلَ الميلادِ الإنسانيّ بالغُ العُسر ونادرٌ جداً.
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa frame)
Scene: A scale labeled ‘śreyas’ and ‘preyas’; a person reaches toward fleeting pleasures while a shadowy figure labeled ‘pramāda’ misleads them; above, devas and asuras gaze longingly at a human cradle, signifying rarity.
FAQs
Neglecting spiritual welfare (śreyas) is self-deception; human birth is rare and must be used wisely.
No site is mentioned; the verse stresses the rarity and responsibility of human life.
No explicit ritual; it prescribes earnest pursuit of śreyas—one’s highest good.