Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40
लिंगस्य मस्तकं दृष्टं देवानां च मृषा वदेः । ते सर्वे यदि वक्ष्यंति इंद्राद्या देवतागणाः
liṃgasya mastakaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ devānāṃ ca mṛṣā vadeḥ | te sarve yadi vakṣyaṃti iṃdrādyā devatāgaṇāḥ
ഞാൻ ദേവന്മാരോട് ‘ലിംഗത്തിന്റെ ശിരസ് ഞാൻ കണ്ടു’ എന്ന് കള്ളമായി പറയും—ഇന്ദ്രാദി ദേവഗണങ്ങൾ എല്ലാം അതുപോലെ പറഞ്ഞ് പിന്തുണച്ചാൽ.
Brahmā (implied internal resolve in the narrative)
Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Audience within the Skanda Purāṇa frame
Scene: Brahmā, calculating, turns toward the assembled devas; Indra and others appear as potential supporters; the endless liṅga looms, contrasting truth with intended lie.
FAQs
False testimony (mṛṣā-vāda) is a breach of Dharma, especially when used to gain prestige before divine assemblies.
The Kedāra region is the narrative frame; the ethical teaching supports the Mahātmya by showing how the divine presence exposes untruth.
None; the verse concerns moral choice and collective complicity.