Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65
कूटशासनकर्तारः कूटयुद्धकराश्च ये । निर्दयोऽतीव भृत्येषु पशूनां दमनश्च यः
kūṭaśāsanakartāraḥ kūṭayuddhakarāśca ye | nirdayo'tīva bhṛtyeṣu paśūnāṃ damanaśca yaḥ
Mereka yang menyusun peraturan yang menipu dan merancang peperangan yang khianat; yang amat kejam terhadap para pelayan; serta yang menindas dan menyiksa hewan—orang demikian berdiri berlawanan dengan tatanan kebenaran (dharma).
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention
Scene: A ruler’s court: a just king rejects a deceitful ordinance; in another vignette, a cruel master strikes a servant and torments animals, contrasted with compassionate protection—servants cared for and animals gently handled.
FAQs
Dharma rejects cruelty and deceit—whether in governance, conflict, or treatment of dependents and animals.
No specific holy site is named; the verse is a general dharma-teaching passage.
No ritual prescription appears; it is a moral warning.