Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3
विश्वामित्र उवाच । त्वं जीव गच्छ वा मृत्युं नाहं कर्तास्मि ते वचः । व्रतनाशात्तु यत्पापमधिकं स्त्रीवधाद्भवेत्
viśvāmitra uvāca | tvaṃ jīva gaccha vā mṛtyuṃ nāhaṃ kartāsmi te vacaḥ | vratanāśāttu yatpāpamadhikaṃ strīvadhādbhavet
Viśvāmitra sprach: „Lebe und geh—oder geh dem Tod entgegen; ich werde nicht nach deinem Wort handeln. Denn die Sünde, die aus der Zerstörung eines heiligen Gelübdes (vrata) entsteht, gilt als größer als die Sünde, die aus der Tötung einer Frau erwächst.“
Viśvāmitra
Type: kshetra
Scene: Sage Viśvāmitra, austere and radiant with tapas, rejects a request that would break his vow; the petitioner stands at a respectful distance, the atmosphere tense with dharma-judgment.
FAQs
The text stresses the sanctity of vrata: breaking a solemn vow is portrayed as spiritually catastrophic.
The verse is ethical instruction within Tīrthamāhātmya framing; it does not name a specific pilgrimage site.
Implicit prescription: protect one’s vrata at all costs; do not consent to actions that cause vow-destruction.