Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 90
नाहं तथाद्भि यजमानहविर्वितानश्चयोतद्घृतप्लुतमदन्हुतभुङ्मुखेन । यद्ब्राह्मणस्य मुखतश्चरतोनुघासं तुष्टस्य मय्यवहितैर्निजकर्मपाकैः
nāhaṃ tathādbhi yajamānahavirvitānaścayotadghṛtaplutamadanhutabhuṅmukhena | yadbrāhmaṇasya mukhataścaratonughāsaṃ tuṣṭasya mayyavahitairnijakarmapākaiḥ
यजमानाच्या विस्तृत यज्ञोपचारांनी—हविष्य, घृतसिक्त आहुती ज्या अग्निरूपी मुखाने भक्षण केल्या जातात—मी तितका संतुष्ट होत नाही. परंतु तृप्त ब्राह्मणाच्या मुखातून मिळालेला अल्पसा घास, जो स्वतःच्या कर्मपरिपाकाचा फल म्हणून एकाग्र भक्तीने मला अर्पिला जातो—त्याने मी अधिक तुष्ट होतो.
Viṣṇu (quoted authority)
Listener: The Kumāras
Scene: Two scenes contrasted: (1) a grand yajña with blazing fire, priests, ladles of ghee; (2) a humble devotee offering a small morsel to a serene brāhmaṇa seated calmly. Viṣṇu’s subtle presence/approval radiates more strongly over the second scene.
FAQs
Personal charity and reverent service to a worthy, contented brāhmaṇa can please the Divine more than costly ritual display.
No specific tīrtha is named; the ‘holy field’ emphasized is the brāhmaṇa as a recipient of dāna and honor.
It implicitly praises brāhmaṇa-bhojana/dāna (offering food/charity to brāhmaṇas) over mere ritual oblations.