Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 122
आदौ मध्ये तथा चांते येषां वाक्यमदोषवत् । कषदाहैः स्वर्णमिव च्छेदेऽपि स्याच्छुभं शुभम्
ādau madhye tathā cāṃte yeṣāṃ vākyamadoṣavat | kaṣadāhaiḥ svarṇamiva cchede'pi syācchubhaṃ śubham
Ceux dont la parole est sans défaut au commencement, au milieu et à la fin—telle l’or éprouvé par la pierre de touche et le feu—demeurent de bon augure, même lorsqu’on les tranche et les examine.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) addressing the sages (deduced)
Scene: Goldsmith imagery: a pure gold ornament is rubbed on a touchstone, heated in fire, and even cut—yet it shines; beside it, a scroll of flawless words remains unblemished through scrutiny.
FAQs
True speech is consistent and withstands scrutiny; integrity is proven through testing, not appearance.
No tīrtha is directly mentioned; the verse supports dharmic discernment applicable to all sacred journeys.
None; the ‘test’ is metaphorical—evaluating consistency and purity of words.