Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 51
भृत्यानामुपरोधेन यत्करोत्यौर्ध्वदैहिकम् । तद्भवत्यसुखोदकं जीवतोऽस्य मृतस्य च
bhṛtyānāmuparodhena yatkarotyaurdhvadaihikam | tadbhavatyasukhodakaṃ jīvato'sya mṛtasya ca
ഭൃത്യരെ തടഞ്ഞും പീഡിപ്പിച്ചും ചെയ്ത ഔർദ്ധ്വദേഹികകർമ്മം ‘ദുഃഖോദകം’ ആയി, ജീവിച്ചിരിക്കുമ്പോഴും മരണാനന്തരവും ദുഃഖം വരുത്തുന്നു।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Listener: Rājan (King)
Scene: A householder prepares śrāddha offerings while a distressed servant is obstructed or mistreated; the offered water turns symbolically dark, signifying ‘asukhodaka’, while ancestors appear unsatisfied in the background.
FAQs
Rituals lose merit when performed through injustice; ethical means are integral to spiritual benefit.
No specific tīrtha is praised; the verse addresses the moral quality of śrāddha-related acts.
Perform aurdhvadaihika (post-death) rites without exploiting or harming servants/dependents.