Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7
मन्येत कृतकृत्यत्वं येन पुत्रेण धर्मपः । अन्यैः पुत्रशतैः किं वा वंशानुद्धारकारकैः
manyeta kṛtakṛtyatvaṃ yena putreṇa dharmapaḥ | anyaiḥ putraśataiḥ kiṃ vā vaṃśānuddhārakārakaiḥ
ഏത് പുത്രനാൽ ധർമ്മപതി താൻ കൃതകൃത്യനാണെന്ന് കരുതുമോ, അപ്പോൾ വംശോദ്ധാരകരായ നൂറുകണക്കിന് മറ്റു പുത്രന്മാർ കൊണ്ടെന്ത് പ്രയോജനം?
Yama (implied by dharmapaḥ and narrative continuity)
Scene: A dharma-lord figure (as judge/guardian of righteousness) gazes upon a single virtuous son performing ancestral rites; behind them, a faint crowd of many sons fades, emphasizing ‘quality over quantity’.
FAQs
Quality of dharma outweighs quantity: one truly righteous son fulfills higher religious aims beyond mere continuation of lineage.
None is mentioned; this is a doctrinal statement within the story.
None directly; it emphasizes the ideal of dharmic sonship.