Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8
स नित्यं पदवीं गत्वा मुष्ट्वा लोकान्स्वशक्तितः । द्रव्यमादाय पितरौ भार्यां चापि पुपोष च
sa nityaṃ padavīṃ gatvā muṣṭvā lokānsvaśaktitaḥ | dravyamādāya pitarau bhāryāṃ cāpi pupoṣa ca
അവൻ നിത്യവും പാതയിലിറങ്ങി തന്റെ ശക്തിയനുസരിച്ച് ജനങ്ങളെ കൊള്ളയടിച്ചു. കൊള്ളയെടുത്ത ധനത്തോടെ മാതാപിതാക്കളെയും ഭാര്യയെയും പോഷിപ്പിച്ചു.
Narrator (within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya frame)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A dusty highway scene: the brāhmaṇa-turned-bandit ambushes travelers with a staff; in the distance, a faint silhouette of a sacred coastline/temple hints at Prabhāsa’s presence.
FAQs
Supporting family with sinful earnings is still adharma; the means shape karmic burden, not only the intention.
The episode is situated in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra Māhātmya, associated with the sanctity of Prabhāsa.
No ritual is prescribed; the verse sets up an ethical dilemma about livelihood and sin.