Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6
माहेश्वरस्य लोकस्य विक्रीणीते ततस्ततः । ततो गृह्णाति नित्यं स हेम मूल्येन तस्य च
māheśvarasya lokasya vikrīṇīte tatastataḥ | tato gṛhṇāti nityaṃ sa hema mūlyena tasya ca
—അവൻ മഹേശ്വരലോകപ്രാപ്തിയെ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും ‘വിൽക്കുന്നതുപോലെ’ ചെയ്തു, അതിന്റെ വിലയായി നിത്യവും സ്വർണം വാങ്ങി।
Sūta (contextual continuation)
Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ
Scene: The maṭha-pati sits like a broker, accepting gold from pilgrims while gesturing toward the liṅga, as if selling entry to Maheśvara’s world; pilgrims appear hopeful, the scene tinged with moral darkness.
FAQs
Spiritual attainments are not commodities; exploiting faith for gold is portrayed as adharma.
The verse is part of a tīrtha-context narrative (Vidiśā region), using the sacred frame to critique corrupt religious practice.
No prescription; it describes an unethical practice—selling the ‘benefit’ of Maheśvara’s realm.