Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 178
भगवानुवाच । त्वं हि राजा त्रिलोकेशो नान्यो भवितुमर्हसि । स्वकुलं न्यूनतां गच्छेद्यो वै कापुरुषः स्मृतः
bhagavānuvāca | tvaṃ hi rājā trilokeśo nānyo bhavitumarhasi | svakulaṃ nyūnatāṃ gacchedyo vai kāpuruṣaḥ smṛtaḥ
Le Seigneur Bienheureux dit : « Tu es vraiment le roi, le maître des trois mondes ; nul autre n’est digne de l’être. Mais celui dont on se souvient comme d’un lâche mène sa propre lignée au déclin. »
Bhagavān (Vāmana/Śrī Hari)
Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: Vāmana speaks with authority, praising the king’s sovereignty while warning against cowardice that ruins lineage; the listener stands attentive, chastened yet honored.
FAQs
Leadership must be grounded in courage and integrity; cowardice diminishes both personal honor and the dignity of one’s lineage.
While the verse is ethical instruction, it occurs within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Kedāra setting, where dharma-teachings are embedded in sacred geography.
No ritual instruction is given; it is a dharma-focused admonition regarding valor and reputation.