Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 121
उद्वेगं च परं यांति प्रतप्यंति यतस्ततः । आत्मसंभाविता मूढा मिथ्याज्ञानेन मोहिताः । वर्णाश्रमविरुद्धं तु तीर्थे कु्र्वन्ति येऽधमाः
udvegaṃ ca paraṃ yāṃti pratapyaṃti yatastataḥ | ātmasaṃbhāvitā mūḍhā mithyājñānena mohitāḥ | varṇāśramaviruddhaṃ tu tīrthe ku्rvanti ye'dhamāḥ
يقعون في اضطرابٍ شديد ويتيهون، محرقين بالعذاب من كل جانب؛ حمقى معجبون بأنفسهم، مفتونون بمعرفةٍ زائفة. وأولئك الأدنياء، إذ يخالفون واجبات الفَرْنَة والآشرَمَة، يرتكبون مثل هذه المخالفات حتى في التيرثا.
Śiva (Īśvara)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Devī
Scene: Restless figures wander in heat-haze, faces anxious, arguing with smug certainty; a calm ascetic points toward the tīrtha, while the sacred precinct glows—contrasting true knowledge with false certainty and dharma-violation.
FAQs
Arrogance and counterfeit spirituality destroy peace and merit; dharma must be upheld especially in sacred spaces.
The admonition occurs within Prabhāsa Māhātmya, applying to behavior at Prabhāsa and tīrthas generally.
The prescription is behavioral: adhere to varṇāśrama-appropriate duties and avoid adharma at the tīrtha.