Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13
आरोहयेच्छिरो नैव क्वचिद्धित्वा उपानहौ । यथा स मूढो भवति देवीभक्तिरतस्तथा
ārohayecchiro naiva kvaciddhitvā upānahau | yathā sa mūḍho bhavati devībhaktiratastathā
ಯೋಗ್ಯ ಕ್ರಮವನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಯಾರೂ ಪಾದರಕ್ಷೆಯನ್ನು ತಲೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಇಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ; ಅದೇ ರೀತಿ ಕೇವಲ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ-ರೂಪ ದೇವಿಯಲ್ಲೇ ಆಸಕ್ತಿಯಾದ ಭಕ್ತಿಯೂ ಮೂಢತೆಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)
Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira
Scene: A didactic tableau: a foolish person tries to place shoes on the head while the guru points out the absurdity; parallel vignette shows a devotee worshipping Prakṛti alone while ignoring the supreme deity.
FAQs
Devotion must be guided by right understanding and proper hierarchy of the divine; misplaced worship born of delusion is compared to reversing what is fitting.
No tīrtha is described; the verse uses an ethical analogy.
No explicit rite is prescribed; it comments on the correctness of devotional orientation.