Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 196
मनसा कर्मणा वाचा कृच्छ्राद्वार्ता प्रसिध्यति । लोभोऽधृतिः शिवं त्यक्त्वा धर्माणां संकरस्तथा
manasā karmaṇā vācā kṛcchrādvārtā prasidhyati | lobho'dhṛtiḥ śivaṃ tyaktvā dharmāṇāṃ saṃkarastathā
Durch Geist, Tat und Wort wird der Lebensunterhalt nur mit Mühsal erlangt. Gier und mangelnde Standhaftigkeit—Śiva verlassend—bewirken ebenfalls Verwirrung und Vermischung der Dharmas.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Scene: A stark scene of people struggling for livelihood—parched fields, anxious merchants, quarrels—while a small shrine or liṅga stands neglected; in contrast, a steadfast devotee lights a lamp, symbolizing return to Śiva and dhṛti.
FAQs
When devotion to Śiva and inner steadiness are lost, greed increases, livelihoods become strained, and dharma itself becomes confused.
None; the verse is ethical and theological rather than geographical.
No explicit ritual is prescribed; the implicit remedy is steadfast Śiva-orientation (śiva-niṣṭhā) in life.