Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49
न कुर्यादात्मनः श्रेयस्तेनात्मा वंचतश्चिरम् । देवासुराणां सर्वेषां मानुष्यमतिदुर्लभम्
na kuryādātmanaḥ śreyastenātmā vaṃcataściram | devāsurāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ mānuṣyamatidurlabham
जर मनुष्य स्वतःचे श्रेय साधत नाही, तर तो दीर्घकाळ स्वतःलाच फसवितो. देव-दानव सर्वांसाठी मानुष्यजन्म अत्यंत दुर्लभ आहे।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa frame)
Scene: A scale labeled ‘śreyas’ and ‘preyas’; a person reaches toward fleeting pleasures while a shadowy figure labeled ‘pramāda’ misleads them; above, devas and asuras gaze longingly at a human cradle, signifying rarity.
FAQs
Neglecting spiritual welfare (śreyas) is self-deception; human birth is rare and must be used wisely.
No site is mentioned; the verse stresses the rarity and responsibility of human life.
No explicit ritual; it prescribes earnest pursuit of śreyas—one’s highest good.