Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33
अकृत्वापि क्रियाः कार्याः कथं मृत्युवशं गतः । सोऽहं त्वया विना पुत्र न जीवामि कथंचन
akṛtvāpi kriyāḥ kāryāḥ kathaṃ mṛtyuvaśaṃ gataḥ | so'haṃ tvayā vinā putra na jīvāmi kathaṃcana
“Tanpa menunaikan upacara yang semestinya, bagaimana engkau jatuh ke dalam kuasa maut? Tanpamu, wahai putraku, aku takkan mampu hidup sedikit pun.”
Mṛkaṇḍu (addressing his son)
Scene: The father-sage, trembling, speaks of unfinished rites and death’s grasp; the sacred fire burns low; ritual implements lie unused, symbolizing interrupted dharma; the mother weeps silently.
FAQs
Purāṇic dharma stresses completing obligatory rites; yet grief also reveals the human dependence that spiritual maturity must transform.
No specific tīrtha is described in this verse; it remains within the Arbuda narrative frame.
The verse alludes to necessary ‘kriyāḥ’—obligatory rites (often understood as life-cycle or funeral-related duties), though not detailed here.