Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 41
वेदविक्रयकर्तॄणां यत्पापं संप्रजायते । तेन पापेन लिप्यामि यद्यहं नागमे पुनः
vedavikrayakartṝṇāṃ yatpāpaṃ saṃprajāyate | tena pāpena lipyāmi yadyahaṃ nāgame punaḥ
إن لم أعد إلى هنا مرةً أخرى، فليلتصق بي الإثم الذي يلحق بمن يبيعون الفيدا؛ وبهذا الإثم عينه فليتدنّس كياني.
Unspecified (contextual vow/utterance within Arbuda Khaṇḍa narration; likely a pilgrim or narrator-voice within the māhātmya)
Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A teacher and student scene near a tīrtha: the Veda is shown as radiant palm-leaf manuscripts emitting light. A merchant-like figure offers coins, but the teacher refuses. The pilgrim’s vow overlays the scene: breaking the return pledge equals the sin of selling Veda.
FAQs
Sacred knowledge is not a commodity; the verse pairs reverence for dharma with steadfastness toward the tīrtha through a solemn vow.
Arbuda-kṣetra is glorified as a place where dharmic integrity is affirmed through vows.
No explicit rite is described; the emphasis is ethical (non-commercialization of the sacred) and devotional (returning to the tīrtha).