Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41
स्वशक्त्या सर्व भूतेषु यदसौ न पराङ्मुखः । तीर्थायेके प्रशंसंति नंदभद्रो न मन्यते
svaśaktyā sarva bhūteṣu yadasau na parāṅmukhaḥ | tīrthāyeke praśaṃsaṃti naṃdabhadro na manyate
സ്വാന്തശക്തിയാൽ അവൻ ഒരു ജീവിയോടും മുഖം തിരിക്കുന്നില്ല; അതുകൊണ്ട് ചിലർ അവനെ ‘തീർത്ഥം’ എന്നു പുകഴ്ത്തുന്നു. എന്നാൽ നന്ദഭദ്രൻ ആ പുകഴ്ച അംഗീകരിക്കുന്നില്ല.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Tirtha: Nandabhadra (as a ‘jīva-tīrtha’ / living tīrtha)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Villagers, ascetics, and the poor approach Nandabhadra from all sides; he faces none away, hands open in welcome. A subtle river-ford motif behind him suggests ‘crossing’ (tīrtha). He gently declines garlands offered in praise.
FAQs
True holiness is measured by unwavering benevolence toward all beings, not by self-proclaimed status.
No single geographic tīrtha is named; the verse elevates righteous conduct itself as ‘tīrtha-like’ purity.
No external rite is prescribed; the emphasis is on inner strength and non-aversion toward beings.