Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10
मित्रस्नेहस्य पर्यायस्तच्च साप्तपदं स्मृतम् । स्नेहः स कीदृशो मित्रे दुःखितो यो न दृश्यते
mitrasnehasya paryāyastacca sāptapadaṃ smṛtam | snehaḥ sa kīdṛśo mitre duḥkhito yo na dṛśyate
മിത്രസ്നേഹത്തിന്റെ പര്യായമായി ‘സാപ്തപദം’ എന്നു സ്മൃതി പറയുന്നു. സുഹൃത്ത് ദുഃഖിതനായപ്പോൾ അവന്റെ കൂടെ കാണപ്പെടാത്ത സ്നേഹം എങ്ങനെയുള്ളത്?
Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual, inferred)
Scene: Two companions on a path: the teaching points to ‘seven steps together’ as the emblem of friendship; one friend is shown distressed, the other arriving/standing close, offering steady support.
FAQs
True friendship is proved by presence and support in adversity, not by words alone.
No site is mentioned; the verse teaches mitra-dharma within the narrative context.
None; ‘sāptapada’ is referenced as a cultural marker of committed companionship rather than a ritual instruction here.