Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 65
इत्थं धर्मेण कथितो देवो धर्ममथाब्रवीत् । ईश्वर उवाच । वाहनं भव मे धर्म सर्वदा लोकपूजितः
itthaṃ dharmeṇa kathito devo dharmamathābravīt | īśvara uvāca | vāhanaṃ bhava me dharma sarvadā lokapūjitaḥ
Ainsi interpellé par Dharma, le Seigneur parla à Dharma : «Ô Dharma, deviens Ma monture, à jamais honorée par les mondes».
Īśvara (Śiva)
Listener: Gālava
Scene: Śaṅkara, serene and commanding, addresses personified Dharma; the moment of appointment—Dharma is honored as the Lord’s mount, with attendants witnessing the cosmic decree.
FAQs
Dharma, when honored and embodied, becomes the very support (vāhana) of the Divine—righteousness is exalted as universally worthy of worship.
The Setukhaṇḍa context is the sacred Setu-region; this verse prepares the praise of a Dharma-associated tīrtha revealed shortly after.
No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse confers honor and status upon Dharma as the Lord’s mount.