Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 6
ब्रह्मघ्नैश्च सुरापैश्च स्तेयिभिर्गुरुतल्पगैः । तदा संसर्गदुष्टोऽसौ तैः साकं न्यवसद्विजाः
brahmaghnaiśca surāpaiśca steyibhirgurutalpagaiḥ | tadā saṃsargaduṣṭo'sau taiḥ sākaṃ nyavasadvijāḥ
Alors il vécut, ô deux-fois-nés, avec des pécheurs meurtriers de brāhmaṇas, des buveurs d’alcool, des voleurs et ceux qui profanaient le lit du maître ; corrompu par une telle fréquentation, il demeura en leur compagnie.
Sūta (context continuation)
Tirtha: Gautamī (Godāvarī) tīra
Type: kshetra
Listener: dvijāḥ
Scene: Durācāra sits among a rough band: a drunkard with a wine vessel, a thief clutching stolen goods, and grim figures symbolizing brahmahatyā and guru-talpa; the sacred river glimmers behind, ignored.
FAQs
Association shapes character; keeping company with grave sinners is itself a powerful cause of moral downfall.
Dhanuṣkoṭi remains the implied tīrtha of deliverance, though this verse describes the prior descent into sin.
No ritual is prescribed here; the verse lists mahāpātaka-type offenders to underline the severity of the association.