Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 90
नाहं तथाद्भि यजमानहविर्वितानश्चयोतद्घृतप्लुतमदन्हुतभुङ्मुखेन । यद्ब्राह्मणस्य मुखतश्चरतोनुघासं तुष्टस्य मय्यवहितैर्निजकर्मपाकैः
nāhaṃ tathādbhi yajamānahavirvitānaścayotadghṛtaplutamadanhutabhuṅmukhena | yadbrāhmaṇasya mukhataścaratonughāsaṃ tuṣṭasya mayyavahitairnijakarmapākaiḥ
Je ne suis pas satisfait de la même manière par les offrandes raffinées du sacrifiant—par les oblations et le ghee versé dans le feu, dévorés par la « bouche du rite »—comme je le suis même par une simple bouchée sortie de la bouche d’un brāhmaṇa comblé, offerte avec une dévotion attentive, fruit mûr de ses propres actes.
Viṣṇu (quoted authority)
Listener: The Kumāras
Scene: Two scenes contrasted: (1) a grand yajña with blazing fire, priests, ladles of ghee; (2) a humble devotee offering a small morsel to a serene brāhmaṇa seated calmly. Viṣṇu’s subtle presence/approval radiates more strongly over the second scene.
FAQs
Personal charity and reverent service to a worthy, contented brāhmaṇa can please the Divine more than costly ritual display.
No specific tīrtha is named; the ‘holy field’ emphasized is the brāhmaṇa as a recipient of dāna and honor.
It implicitly praises brāhmaṇa-bhojana/dāna (offering food/charity to brāhmaṇas) over mere ritual oblations.