Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4
यैः शत्रुसंभवा वार्ता कापि न श्रीवितस्त्वहम् । मदिराकाममत्तानां मंत्रित्वं वो न युज्यते । हितं मन्त्रयते राज्ञस्तेन मंत्री निगद्यते
yaiḥ śatrusaṃbhavā vārtā kāpi na śrīvitastvaham | madirākāmamattānāṃ maṃtritvaṃ vo na yujyate | hitaṃ mantrayate rājñastena maṃtrī nigadyate
Karena kalian, sama sekali tidak ada kabar tentang gerak musuh yang sampai kepadaku. Jabatan penasihat tidak layak bagi mereka yang mabuk oleh arak dan nafsu. Hanya dia disebut menteri yang menasihati raja demi kesejahteraannya.
Tāraka
Scene: In a royal court, the daitya-king rebukes ministers for negligence and moral laxity, defining true ministership as welfare-counsel; tense assembly, stern gestures, lowered eyes of ministers.
FAQs
Dharma in governance requires sobriety, self-control, and welfare-oriented counsel; vice disqualifies one from guiding others.
None; the passage teaches rajadharma through narrative speech rather than tīrtha-māhātmya.
No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse prescribes ethical discipline (avoidance of intoxication and lust) as a dharmic standard.