Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15
घ्नंति तस्मादविद्वांस्तु बिभियाच्च प्रतिग्रहात् । स्वल्पक केनाप्यविद्वांस्तु पंके गौरिव सीदति
ghnaṃti tasmādavidvāṃstu bibhiyācca pratigrahāt | svalpaka kenāpyavidvāṃstu paṃke gauriva sīdati
Therefore an unlearned man should fear accepting gifts, for they can destroy him. Even by a small gift, the ignorant sinks—like a cow sinking in mud.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa default)
Scene: A vivid moral simile: an ignorant man clutching a small gift sinks into a muddy mire; nearby, a cow struggles in mud—parallel imagery underscoring the verse’s comparison.
FAQs
Acceptance of gifts requires qualification; ignorance turns even small gains into spiritual downfall.
No specific sacred site is named; the teaching is ethical and universal.
A cautionary rule: the unqualified should avoid pratigraha (accepting gifts), as it carries karmic burden.