Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21
ये गुणाः साधिताः पूर्वं शीलाचारश्रुतादिभिः । सद्यस्ते नाशमायांति कौटिल्य पथगामिनः
ye guṇāḥ sādhitāḥ pūrvaṃ śīlācāraśrutādibhiḥ | sadyaste nāśamāyāṃti kauṭilya pathagāminaḥ
Les vertus jadis acquises par la noblesse du caractère, la conduite droite, l’étude et autres—ces mêmes vertus s’évanouissent vite chez celui qui suit la voie tortueuse de la ruse.
Dvijakumārakau (contextual continuation)
Scene: An allegorical scene: a person carrying a pot of ‘earned virtues’ (śīla-ācāra-śruta) walks onto a crooked, thorny path; the pot cracks and the contents spill away while a straight, sunlit path remains behind.
FAQs
Deceit destroys accumulated virtue; dharma is preserved by integrity in conduct and learning.
No location is praised in this verse.
None; it is an ethical principle.