Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 89
तदमून्ये व्यतिक्रम्य तपो दानमथो जपम् । प्रकुर्वंति दुरात्मानो वेपते मरुतः पथि
tadamūnye vyatikramya tapo dānamatho japam | prakurvaṃti durātmāno vepate marutaḥ pathi
ആ ദേവന്മാരെ ലംഘിച്ച് ദുഷ്ടമനസ്സുള്ളവർ തപസ്സ്, ദാനം, ജപം എന്നിവ ചെയ്യുന്നു; എങ്കിലും അവരുടെ കൃത്യങ്ങളാൽ മരുതിന്റെ പഥം—ധർമ്മക്രമം—കുലുങ്ങുന്നു।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Tirtha: Marutaḥ patha (cosmic vāyu-mārga)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣi-audience (frame typical)
Scene: A dramatic cosmic tableau: ascetics performing japa and austerities while turning away from devas; the sky shows swirling winds and trembling pathways, suggesting ṛta disturbed.
FAQs
Religious acts like tapas, dāna, and japa lose their purity when done while violating dharma and reverence.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse critiques improper religious practice.
Tapas (austerity), dāna (charity), and japa (recitation) are named—implying they must be grounded in dharma.