Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17
ऋतुकालेऽपि संप्राप्ते सुता मम समुद्भवाः । यन्न संभाषसि प्रीत्या धर्मशास्त्रं न वेत्सि किम्
ṛtukāle'pi saṃprāpte sutā mama samudbhavāḥ | yanna saṃbhāṣasi prītyā dharmaśāstraṃ na vetsi kim
ഋതുകാലം വന്നിട്ടും എന്റെ മുതൽ ജനിച്ച പുത്രിമാരോട് നീ സ്നേഹത്തോടെ സംസാരിക്കുന്നില്ല; ധർമ്മശാസ്ത്രം നിനക്കറിയില്ലയോ?
Dakṣa (addressing Chandra/Soma)
Scene: Dakṣa, as father of many daughters, questions the Moon’s lack of affectionate speech/approach despite the arrival of the proper season; the daughters stand modestly behind, veiled or with lowered eyes.
FAQs
Affection and duty are both part of dharma; neglecting either is treated as a moral failing with consequences.
Not specified in this line; the verse is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter but is itself ethical instruction.
The dharmic timing of conjugal life (ṛtu-kāla) is invoked as a normative prescription.