Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33
अथाचारपरिभ्रष्टाः श्राद्धार्हा एव नागराः । वलीवर्दसमानोऽपि ज्ञातीयो यदि लभ्यते । किमन्यैर्बहुभिर्विप्रैर्वेदवेदांगपारगैः
athācāraparibhraṣṭāḥ śrāddhārhā eva nāgarāḥ | valīvardasamāno'pi jñātīyo yadi labhyate | kimanyairbahubhirviprairvedavedāṃgapāragaiḥ
ទោះបីជាជននាគរៈខ្លះបាត់បង់វិន័យប្រពៃណីក៏ដោយ ក៏នៅតែគួររាប់ថាសមស្របទទួលស្រាទ្ធ។ បើរកឃើញញាតិម្នាក់—even ដូចគោទាញរទេះដែលគេមើលថាទាប—តើត្រូវការព្រះព្រាហ្មណ៍ជាច្រើនទៀតអ្វី ទោះជាចេះវេដ និងវេដាង្គក៏ដោយ?
Not explicit in this verse (Śrāddha-kalpa narrative voice within Nāgara Khaṇḍa context)
Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A moral-contrast tableau: a humble, even disreputable-looking local kinsman is respectfully offered śrāddha, while a group of dignified Veda-knowing outsiders stand aside; the yajamāna chooses kinship duty over display.
FAQs
In śrāddha, dharma prioritizes rightful relationship and ritual propriety over mere display of scholarship; fulfilling ancestral duty is central.
The passage sits in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya setting within Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya, though this verse itself focuses on śrāddha norms.
Guidance on choosing śrāddha recipients: prefer an available kinsman; do not overvalue large numbers of learned invitees when the proper relational duty can be met.