Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 71
विकल्पः स्वच्छचित्तेति गिरिजैषा मम प्रिया । प्रायेण भूतिलिप्तानामन्यथा चिंतिता हृदि
vikalpaḥ svacchacitteti girijaiṣā mama priyā | prāyeṇa bhūtiliptānāmanyathā ciṃtitā hṛdi
O Girijā, this is my cherished view: “doubt and wavering can arise even in a mind that seems clear.” For those smeared with the ash of worldliness, the heart commonly imagines things otherwise.
Śiva (Śaṅkara)
Scene: Śiva teaches with calm authority; a faint overlay shows a ‘clear mirror’ mind disturbed by ripples of doubt, while ash motes drift—symbolizing worldly residue clouding perception.
FAQs
Mental clarity must be protected; worldly impressions easily distort perception, giving rise to doubt and misreading.
No tīrtha is named; the emphasis is on inner discipline rather than sacred geography.
None explicitly; it implies purification through detachment and right understanding.