Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7
कौशिकोऽथ तमाहेदं प्रहस्य वचनं स्वयम् । कस्मात्कूर्म प्रनष्टोद्य विमुखोऽभ्यागतेष्वपि
kauśiko'tha tamāhedaṃ prahasya vacanaṃ svayam | kasmātkūrma pranaṣṭodya vimukho'bhyāgateṣvapi
അപ്പോൾ കൗശികൻ പുഞ്ചിരിയോടെ സ്വയം അവനോട് ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു— “ഹേ കൂർമാ! ഇന്ന് നീ എന്തുകൊണ്ട് അപ്രത്യക്ഷനായി, അതിഥികൾ വന്നിട്ടും എന്തുകൊണ്ട് വിമുഖനായിരിക്കുന്നു?”
Kauśika
Scene: A sage (Kauśika) smiles and addresses a tortoise who has withdrawn into its shell or slipped away as visitors arrive; the setting suggests an āśrama edge near water or forest path where guests approach.
FAQs
Hospitality is dharma; turning away from sincere seekers/guests is treated as a moral lapse requiring explanation.
The setting remains the sacred lake region (Mānasa-saras implied), serving as the stage for dharmic instruction.
The implied prescription is atithi-satkāra—proper reception of guests—though the details are elaborated in the following verses.