Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32
एवंविधसहस्रैश्च युता दोषैः कृषिः सदा । अष्टगवं स्याद्धि हलं त्रिंशद्भागं त्यजेत्कृषेः
evaṃvidhasahasraiśca yutā doṣaiḥ kṛṣiḥ sadā | aṣṭagavaṃ syāddhi halaṃ triṃśadbhāgaṃ tyajetkṛṣeḥ
L’agriculture demeure sans cesse enlacée à des milliers de fautes de cette sorte. En vérité, la charrue est comme tirée par huit bœufs; aussi convient-il d’abandonner un trentième du produit des champs, en renoncement conforme au dharma.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative mode)
Scene: A plough drawn as if by ‘eight oxen’ (symbolic weight of harm) moves through soil; beside it, the farmer offers a measured portion of grain in charity, restoring balance.
FAQs
Even necessary livelihoods can carry hidden harm; dharma is upheld by conscious restraint and obligatory sharing/renunciation.
No specific site is mentioned; the verse focuses on ethical conduct (dharma) rather than sthala-māhātmya.
A practical dharmic rule: set aside (renounce/donate) a fixed fraction—here stated as one-thirtieth—of agricultural gain.