Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46
पूज्यते यदपूज्योऽपि यदगम्योऽपि गम्यते । वंद्यते यदवन्द्योऽपि ह्यनुबंधो धनस्य सः
pūjyate yadapūjyo'pi yadagamyo'pi gamyate | vaṃdyate yadavandyo'pi hyanubaṃdho dhanasya saḥ
حتى من لا يستحق يُعبَد، وحتى ما لا ينبغي الاقتراب منه يُقتَرَب، وحتى غير الجدير يُحيَّا ويُسجَد له—تلك هي سطوة المال المُقيِّدة.
Kṣatriya (narrative context within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)
Scene: A wealthy but unethical figure receives garlands and prostrations, while a humble ascetic is ignored; the verse’s ‘binding influence of wealth’ is shown as a subtle chain or net motif around onlookers’ minds.
FAQs
Wealth can create unhealthy social and moral distortions, making people honour the unworthy and pursue what should be avoided; thus artha must be governed by dharma.
The verse occurs within a Tīrthamāhātmya narrative frame (Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra context), but it is a general moral observation rather than direct site-praise.
None explicitly; it warns about misplaced worship and conduct driven by wealth.