Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81
उपजीवनहेतोश्च भिया ये ह्यपि मानवाः । पापिनोऽपि दुराचाराः शिववेषधरा ह्यमी
upajīvanahetośca bhiyā ye hyapi mānavāḥ | pāpino'pi durācārāḥ śivaveṣadharā hyamī
ജീവികയ്ക്കായോ ഭയത്താലോ ശിവവേഷം ധരിക്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യർ, പാപികളും ദുഷ്ടാചാരികളും ആയാലും, അവർ ശിവചിഹ്നധാരികളായിത്തന്നെ കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു।
Kāla
Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha
Type: kshetra
Listener: Dūtas (messengers)
Scene: At a Himalayan shrine precinct, some men wear rudrākṣa and ash marks for livelihood or fear; a divine injunction distinguishes outwardly marked but inwardly impure from true devotees.
FAQs
Purāṇic teaching highlights the gravity of Śaiva identity—outer affiliation is noted even when inner conduct is flawed.
The Kedārakhaṇḍa setting frames the discourse, but no single tirtha is named in this verse.
Adopting Śaiva dress/marks is referenced, though the verse critiques motivations like fear or livelihood.