Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53
जातुमांसं न भोक्तव्यं प्राणैः कंठगतैरपि । भोक्तव्यं तर्हि भोक्तव्यं स्वमांसं नेतरस्य च
jātumāṃsaṃ na bhoktavyaṃ prāṇaiḥ kaṃṭhagatairapi | bhoktavyaṃ tarhi bhoktavyaṃ svamāṃsaṃ netarasya ca
ಎಂದಿಗೂ ಮಾಂಸವನ್ನು ತಿನ್ನಬಾರದು—ಪ್ರಾಣ ಕಂಠಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದರೂ ಸಹ. ಏನಾದರೂ ತಿನ್ನಲೇಬೇಕಾದರೆ, ಪರರದು ಅಲ್ಲ; ಸ್ವಮಾಂಸವನ್ನೇ ತಿನ್ನಬೇಕು.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Scene: An ascetic idealized figure in Kāśī refuses meat even at the brink of death, symbolically choosing self-sacrifice over harming another being; the scene conveys stern compassion.
FAQs
Ahiṃsā is elevated above even self-preservation; harming another for survival is portrayed as adharma.
The ethical teaching is given within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s praise of Kāśī as a purifier and guide to dharma.
A strict niyama: avoid meat under all circumstances; no additional ritual acts are specified.