Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10
मित्रस्नेहस्य पर्यायस्तच्च साप्तपदं स्मृतम् । स्नेहः स कीदृशो मित्रे दुःखितो यो न दृश्यते
mitrasnehasya paryāyastacca sāptapadaṃ smṛtam | snehaḥ sa kīdṛśo mitre duḥkhito yo na dṛśyate
Als Sinnbild der Zuneigung eines Freundes gilt das „sāptapada“, die sieben gemeinsam gegangenen Schritte. Doch was ist das für Zuneigung, wenn man den Freund in seinem Kummer nicht sieht, nicht an seiner Seite steht?
Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual, inferred)
Scene: Two companions on a path: the teaching points to ‘seven steps together’ as the emblem of friendship; one friend is shown distressed, the other arriving/standing close, offering steady support.
FAQs
True friendship is proved by presence and support in adversity, not by words alone.
No site is mentioned; the verse teaches mitra-dharma within the narrative context.
None; ‘sāptapada’ is referenced as a cultural marker of committed companionship rather than a ritual instruction here.