Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 88
न च्छंदांसि वृजिनात्तारयंति मायाविनं माययाऽवर्तमानम् । नीडं शकुंता इव जातपक्षाश्छंदास्येनं प्रजहत्यंतकाले
na cchaṃdāṃsi vṛjināttārayaṃti māyāvinaṃ māyayā'vartamānam | nīḍaṃ śakuṃtā iva jātapakṣāśchaṃdāsyenaṃ prajahatyaṃtakāle
The Vedic meters do not ferry across from sin the deceitful man who lives by deceit. Like birds that, once their wings have grown, abandon the nest—so the Vedas abandon him at the time of death.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from context)
Scene: A learned but deceitful man stands at the threshold of death; luminous Vedic meters personified as birds lift away from him, abandoning a nest, while a dark veil of māyā clings to his body.
FAQs
Scripture cannot protect a hypocrite; without truthful living, even Vedic learning deserts one at death.
No tīrtha is praised; the verse is a universal admonition about integrity.
None; it rejects reliance on textual prestige and urges honest conduct.