Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81
क्व देवाः संति मिथ्यैतद्दृश्यंते चेद्भवंत्यपि । सर्वा च कूटविप्राणां द्रव्यायैषा विकल्पना
kva devāḥ saṃti mithyaitaddṛśyaṃte cedbhavaṃtyapi | sarvā ca kūṭaviprāṇāṃ dravyāyaiṣā vikalpanā
“ទេវតានៅឯណា? នេះជារឿងមិនពិត។ ទោះបីគេនិយាយថា ‘ឃើញ’ ហើយដូច្នេះមានក៏ដោយ ក៏ទាំងអស់នេះគ្រាន់តែជាគម្រោងបង្កើតឡើង—ដោយព្រាហ្មណ៍ក្លែងក្លាយ ដើម្បីយកទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិប៉ុណ្ណោះ។”
Unspecified in snippet (within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa narrating a discourse)
Scene: A skeptic speaks sharply in a public setting, dismissing gods and accusing brahmins of greed; listeners react with shock, while a dharmic figure prepares to respond.
FAQs
It condemns religious hypocrisy—using sacred claims as a pretext for gaining wealth—and warns against deceit in the name of dharma.
No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is a general polemical statement within the discourse.
None; the verse critiques motivations behind religious activity rather than prescribing a rite.