Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16
कथं यज्ञाश्च वेदाश्च वर्तते विश्वधारकाः । तस्मात्त्वया पुण्यमाप्तं न च पापं कथंचन
kathaṃ yajñāśca vedāśca vartate viśvadhārakāḥ | tasmāttvayā puṇyamāptaṃ na ca pāpaṃ kathaṃcana
ദുഷ്ടരെ നിയന്ത്രിക്കാതിരുന്നാൽ ലോകധാരകരായ യജ്ഞങ്ങളും വേദങ്ങളും എങ്ങനെ നിലനിൽക്കും? അതിനാൽ നീ പുണ്യം മാത്രമേ നേടിയിട്ടുള്ളൂ; യാതൊരു വിധത്തിലും പാപമല്ല।
Vāsudeva
Listener: Guha (Skanda/Kumāra)
Scene: A cosmic scene: Vedas personified as luminous beings and yajña-fire as a pillar holding the world; a protector restrains a dark figure of adharma; the fire brightens, and sages resume recitation—signifying merit gained without sin.
FAQs
Upholding dharma protects yajña and Vedic stability; rightful enforcement done for protection yields puṇya, not pāpa.
No location is praised; the verse praises preservation of the Vedic-sacrificial order.
It references yajña and Veda generally, but gives no specific ritual instruction.