Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4
क्रमोऽयं सर्ववर्णानां प्रकृतीनां सदैव हि । क्रमेण रहितो यस्तु करोति मनुजो जपम् । तस्य प्रकुप्यति विभुर्नरकादिप्रदायकः
kramo'yaṃ sarvavarṇānāṃ prakṛtīnāṃ sadaiva hi | krameṇa rahito yastu karoti manujo japam | tasya prakupyati vibhurnarakādipradāyakaḥ
En verdad, éste es el orden establecido para todas las clases y para la gente común. Pero quien realiza japa sin ese debido orden, contra él se irrita el Señor, volviéndose dador del infierno y de otras consecuencias dolorosas.
Śiva (Mahādeva)
Scene: A stern didactic moment: the Lord’s face turns grave as he warns of consequences for disorderly japa; imagery of a scale of dharma vs. naraka as symbolic backdrop.
FAQs
Discipline and correctness in sacred practice matter; careless or ruleless recitation is portrayed as spiritually harmful.
No specific tīrtha is named; the verse focuses on mantra-krama as part of the māhātmya discourse.
Japa should be performed following the prescribed order (krama); violating the rule is warned against.