Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21
बहुतेजोन्वितान्स्वर्गे ह्यल्पपुण्यो द्विजोत्तम । पश्चात्तापजदुःखेन स्वर्गस्थो दुःखितः सदा
bahutejonvitānsvarge hyalpapuṇyo dvijottama | paścāttāpajaduḥkhena svargastho duḥkhitaḥ sadā
ഹേ ദ്വിജോത്തമാ! സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിൽ മഹാതേജസ്സുള്ളവരെ കണ്ടാൽ, അല്പപുണ്യമുള്ള മനുഷ്യൻ—സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിൽ ഇരുന്നാലും—പശ്ചാത്താപജന്യ ദുഃഖത്തിൽ എപ്പോഴും ദുഃഖിതനായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു.
A heavenly messenger (dūta) addressing Mudgala (contextual deduction from v.25)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Dvija interlocutor
Scene: In svarga, a modestly radiant soul sits apart, watching brilliantly luminous beings in grand vimānas; the observer’s face shows quiet anguish and regret, despite the heavenly setting.
FAQs
Even higher worlds cannot remove inner lack; insufficient merit leads to envy and remorse, so seek lasting spiritual aims beyond comparison.
No specific site is mentioned; the verse continues a philosophical critique of Svarga.
None explicitly; the implied counsel is to cultivate greater dharma/puṇya and higher aspiration than mere heavenly status.