Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23
पुनर्दुर्बोधविन्यासः श्लोकस्तैर्विप्रपुंगवैः । आख्यातुं शक्यते नैव गुडो मूकैर्यथा मुने
punardurbodhavinyāsaḥ ślokastairviprapuṃgavaiḥ | ākhyātuṃ śakyate naiva guḍo mūkairyathā mune
Namun, wahai muni, śloka itu tersusun begitu sukar dipahami sehingga para brāhmaṇa terkemuka pun tak sanggup menjelaskannya—laksana rasa gula aren yang tak dapat diungkapkan oleh orang bisu.
Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa (deduced)
Listener: muni (addressed as ‘O sage’)
Scene: Foremost brāhmaṇas sit with furrowed brows around a manuscript; despite debate, the meaning eludes them. In a symbolic inset, a mute person holds jaggery, unable to convey its sweetness.
FAQs
Some dharma teachings require realized insight and precise tradition to interpret; mere learning may not suffice.
No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it continues the narrative set in a sacred region while focusing on interpretive difficulty.
None directly; the verse underscores the need for an authoritative explanation of the dāna teaching.