Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24
इत्येवमादिभिः पापैरशास्त्रौघस्य सेवनैः । पतंत्येव महाघोरनरकेषु सहस्रशः
ityevamādibhiḥ pāpairaśāstraughasya sevanaiḥ | pataṃtyeva mahāghoranarakeṣu sahasraśaḥ
इस प्रकार के और भी पापों से—और शास्त्र-विरुद्ध आचरणों की बाढ़ का आश्रय लेने से—लोग निश्चय ही हजारों की संख्या में अत्यन्त घोर नरकों में गिरते हैं।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)
Tirtha: Mahāghora-narakas (generic)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis/Devotees
Scene: A sweeping allegory: a torrent labeled ‘aśāstra’ carries crowds toward a dark chasm of many hells; on higher ground stand sages holding śāstra, pointing to a safe path of dharma.
FAQs
Dharma must be aligned with śāstra; unregulated, unscriptural conduct leads to grave karmic consequences.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse is a general dharma instruction within the chapter’s naraka discussion.
Implicitly, it prescribes adherence to śāstra-based practice, but no specific rite (snāna, dāna, japa) is named.