Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5
ये पुनः शास्त्रमुत्सृज्य कामलोभप्रपीडिताः । प्रायश्चित्तं वदिष्यन्ति ते वै निरयगामिनः
ye punaḥ śāstramutsṛjya kāmalobhaprapīḍitāḥ | prāyaścittaṃ vadiṣyanti te vai nirayagāminaḥ
Doch wer die Autorität des Śāstra verwirft und von Begierde und Gier bedrängt eigene Prāyaścittas verkündet (erfindet), der geht wahrlich in höllische Zustände ein.
Śiva (deduced from adhyāya-context)
Tirtha: Brahma-tīrtha (context)
Type: ghat
Listener: Mahīpāla (king)
Scene: A stern sage cautions against greed-driven ‘invented’ rites; shadowy figures bargain over ritual shortcuts while a dark path toward naraka is hinted in the background, contrasted with the bright ghāṭa of orthodox practice.
FAQs
Religious remedies must be grounded in śāstra; desire-driven, self-serving distortions of Dharma bring spiritual downfall.
The warning is delivered within the Brahmatīrtha glorification context of Revā-khaṇḍa, though this verse itself is ethical rather than geographical.
Do not invent prāyaścitta; follow śāstra-prescribed expiations.